
Class 



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Book_-_i^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



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THE 



MINISTERS' HANDBOOK. 



CONTAINING FORMS FOR 



BAPTISM, MARRIAGE, BURIAL, THE LORD S SUPPER. 

CHURCH SERVICE AND THE ORDINATION OF 

ELDERS, WITH CLASSIFIED SELECTIONS 

OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE SICK 

ROOM, AND COLLECTS FOR 

VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 



BY 

MARVIN R. VINCENT, D.D. 



Revised and Enlarged, 1900. 



NEW YORK : 
LENTILHON & COMPANY, 

150 FIFTH AVENUE. 



81440 



Literary of Conorre«a 

Iwc Copies RtrfivFO 

NOV 28 1900 

SECOND COPY 

Oeli««rad to 
ORDER DIV6K)N 

DEC 13 1£00 






COPYRIGHT, igOO, BY 

LENTILHON & COMPANY. 






NEW YORK: 



H. K. BREWER & CO., 

Printer^ 
31 and 33 Nassau St. 



ROBERT RUTTBR, 

Binder^ 
141 East 25th Street. 



PREFACE. 



This Manual, first issued in 1882, is an attempt to 
meet, in some degree, the demand for stated forms of 
service among clergymen of non-liturgical churches. 

It has been carefully revised and considerably modi- 
fied. Some of the forms have been shortened and 
otherwise altered, and some new ones have been added. 

The Scripture selections for funerals have been left, 
mainly, as in the first edition. It will be noticed that 
these selections are classified, and form continuous 
lessons, instead of being a series of verses indiscrim- 
inately strung together from different parts of the 
Bible. 

For the convenience of pastors who prefer to use the 
Episcopal Liturgy in the celebration of marriage, the 
Episcopal form is given, according to the latest revision 
of the Book of Common Prayer. For such as prefer a 
different form, another and briefer service is added, 
and sitbstituted for the one in the first edition. 

Forms for Morning and Evening Church-Service 
have been inserted. 

Out of the rich treasure of the prayers of the ages 
there has been inserted a lijnited and classified selection 
of Collects gathered from different ancient liturgies, 
which may be found helpful on certain occasions. 



CONTENTS. 

Scriptural Forms of Benediction 7 

The Lord's Prayer 8 

The Apostle's Creed 8 

The Nicene 9 

An Order of ^lorning Service 10 

An Order of Evening Service 12 

The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony 14 

The Solemnization of Matrimony ig 

The Baptism of Infants 22 

The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper. . . 26 

Selections of Scripture for the Sick-Room ^y 

The Need and Promise of Forgiveness of Sin 37 

Alonitions of Affliction 44 

Blessings of Affliction 47 

Patience and Trust 51 

Divine Alercy and Sympathy 60 

Recovery 66 

For Christians Appointed to Die 71 

'.'he Order for the Burial of the Dead. 77 

Mortality 79 

Affliction Sanctified and Comforted 81 

Resurrection 87 

Future Glory and Eeternal Union with Christ 94 

Godly Living in View of Death 99 

For the Funeral of a Child 103 

Form for the Ordination of Ruling Elders of the Presby- 
terian Church 109 

Collects 114 



o 



f 

4 



1 



SCRIPTURAL FORMS OF BENEDICTION, 



The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. — 
I CoR. xvi. 23. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of 
God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with 
you all. — 2 Cor. xiii. 14. 

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
your spirit. — Gal. vi. 18. 

Grace be with all them that, love our Lord Jesus 
Christ in sincerity. — Eph. vi. 24. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. — 
Philip, iv. 23; 2 Thess. iii. 18; Apoc. xxii. 21. 

Now the God of peace that brought again from the 
dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, 
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make 
you perfect in every good work to do His will, working 
in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through 
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. — 
Heb. xiii. 20, 21. 

Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. — i 
Pet. v. 14. 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.— 
Philip, iv. 7. 

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, 
and to present you faultless before the presence of His 
glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our 
Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, 
both now and ever. Amen. — ^Jude 24, 25. 

7 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

(As given in the Gospel by Matthew, according to the Author 
ised Version.) 



Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy 
name. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as 
it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from, 
evil : For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and 
the glory, for ever. Amen. 



THE APOSTLES' CREED. 



I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth : and in Jesus Christ His only Son, 
our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born 
of the Virgin Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was 
crucified, dead, and buried ; He descended into hell ; 
the third day He rose again from the dead; He as- 
cended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of 
God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come 
to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the 
Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion 
of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of 
the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 



THE NICENE CREED. 



I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible ; 
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son 
of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God 
of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begot- 
ten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, 
by Whom all things were made. Who for us men, 
and for our salvation came down from heaven, and 
was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, 
and was made man, and was crucified also for us under 
Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the 
third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, 
and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand 
of the Father. And He shall come again with glory 
to judge both the quick and the dead : Whose kingdom 
shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, 
the Lord and Giver of life. Who proceedeth from the 
Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son 
together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by 
the prophets. And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic 
Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission 
of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead, 
and the life of the world to come. Amen. 



AN ORDER OF MORNING SERVICE. 



1. Minister, congregation rising. 

Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest. Thou and the ark |j 
of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with 
righteousness, and let Thy saints shout for joy. 

O Lord, show Thy mercy upon us and grant us 
Thy salvation. 

2. Then shall be sung, the congregation still standing :_ 

O, be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands; serve the 
Lord with gladness, and come before His presence 
with a song. 

Be ye sure that the Lord He is God; it is He that 
hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are His people 
and the sheep of His pasture. 

O, go your way into His gates with thanksgiving, 
and into His courts with praise ; be thankful unto Him, 
and speak good of His name. 

For the Lord is gracious. His mercy is everlasting, 
and His truth endureth from generation to generation. 

3. The congregation shall be seated, and the Minister shall 

offer 

A prayer of Invocation and Confession, closing with 
the Lord's Prayer, in the repetition of which the con- 
gregation shall unite v/ith the minister. 

4. A selection from the Psalter, read responsively by 

the minister and the congregation (congregation still 

sitting). 

10 



AN ORDER OF MORNING SERVICE. n 

5. The congregation shall rise and sing: 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost. 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. 
World without end. Amen. 

6. The congregation^ still standing, shall repeat with the 

Minister the Apostles' Creed, as follows: 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth : And in Jesus Christ His only Son, 
our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, bom 
of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into 
hell ; The third day He rose again from the dead ; He 
ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of 
God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall 
come to judge the quick and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic 
Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of 
sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlast- 
ing. Amen. 

7. Then shall he sung, the congregation sitting, 

A hymn or anthem. 

8. The Scripture Lessons. 

9. The General Prayer. 

10. The offering. 

11. A Hymn (congregation standing), 

12. Sermon. 

13. A Hymn (congregation standing), 

14. Prayer (followed by the benediction and a brief 
season of silent prayer, during which the congregation 
shall remain seated). 



■^T^f r.-i- 5 



AN ORDER OF EVENING SERVICE. 



1. Minister, congregation sitting: 

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into 
His courts with praise. 

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make 
His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. 
The Lord Hft up His countenance upon you and give 
you peace. 

2. The congregation, rising, shall sing: 

O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us heartily 
rejoice in the strength of our salvation. 

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving : 
and show ourselves glad in Him with psalms. 

For the Lord is a great God, and a great king above 
all gods. 

Li His hand are all the corners of the earth, and the 
strength of the hills is His also. 

The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands pre- 
pared the dry land. 

O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel 
before the Lord our Maker. 

For He is the Lord our God, and we are the people 
of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. 

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let 
the whole earth stand in awe of Him. 

For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth, 

12 



AN ORDER OF EVENING SERVICE. 



13 



and with righteousness to judge the worid, and the 
people with His truth. 

3. The congregation, still standing, shall repeat with the 
Minister: 

The Apostles^ Creed. 

4. An Anthem or Hymn {congregation sitting). 

5. A selection from the Psalter, read responsively 
( congregation sitting ) . 

6. Then the congregation shall rise and sing: 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost. 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. 
World without end. Amen. 

7. The Scripture Lessons. 

8. The offering. 

9. A Hymn {congregation standing), 

10. Sermon or brief address. 

11. A Hymn {congregation standing). 

12. Prayer, followed by the benediction and a short 
season of silent prayer {congregation seated). 



THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRI- 
MONY. 



ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AS USED 

BY THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN 

THE UNITED STATES. 



The persons to he married standing together, the man on the 
right hand and the woman on the left, the Minister shall 
say: 

Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the 
sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join 
together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; 
which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the 
time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mys- 
tical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church; 
which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with 
His presence and first miracle that He wrought in Cana 
of Galilee, and is commended of St. Paul to be hon- 
ourable among all men ; and therefore is not by any to 
be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, 
discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. 
Into this holy estate these two persons present come 
now to be joined. If any man can show just cause 
why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him 
now speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace. 

And also speaking unto the persons zvho are to be married, he 
shall say: 

I require and charge you both as ye will answer at 

14 



SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. 15 

the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all 
hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any 
impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together 
in matrimony, ye do now confess it : for be ye well as- 
sured, that if any persons are joined together otherwise 
than as God's word doth allow, their marriage is not 
lawful. 

The Minister, if he shall have reason to doubt of the law- 
fulness' of the proposed marriage, may demand suf- 
ficient surety for his indemnification; but if no impedi- 
ment shall be alleged, or suspected, the Minister shall 
say to the man: 

M. Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, 
to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate 
of matrimony ? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, 
and keep her in sickness and in health ; and, forsaking 
all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both 
shall live? 

The man shall answer: 
I will. 

Then shall the Minister say unto the woman: 

N. Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, 
to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate 
of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, 
love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; 
and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so 
long as ye both shall live ? 

The woman shall answer: 
I will. 



l6 SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. 

Then shall the Minister say: 

Who giveth this woman to be married to this man? 

Then shall they give their troth to each other in this man- 
ner: 

The Minister, receiving the woman at her father's or friend's 
hands, shall cause the man, zvith his right hand, to take 
the woman by her right hand, and to say after him as 
fplloweth: 

I M. take thee A^. to my wedded wife, to have and to 
hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for 
richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and 
to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy 
ordinance ; and thereto I plight thee my troth. 

Then shall they loose their hands, and the woman, with her 
right hand taking the man by his right hand, shall like- 
wise say after the Minister: 

I A^. take thee M. to my wedded husband, to have 
and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, 
for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, 
cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to 
God^s holy ordinance ; and thereto I give thee my troth. 

Then shall they again loose their hands, and the man shall 
give unto the woman a ring, and the Minister, taking 
the ring, shall deliver it unto the man to put it upon the 
fourth finger of the woman's left hand; and the man, 
holding the ring there, and taught by the Minister, shall 
say: 

With this ring I thee wed, and with all my worldly 
goods I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 



SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. ly 

Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth iinger of the 
woman's left hand, the Minister shall say: 

Let Its pray. 

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy 
name ; Thy kingdom come ; Thy will be done in earth 
as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; 
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 
trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. Amen. 

O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all man- 
kind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of ever- 
lasting life ; send Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, 
this man and this woman whom we bless in Thy name, 
that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so 
these persons may surely perform and keep the vow 
and covenant between them made, (whereof this Ring 
given and received is a token and pledge), and may 
ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live 
according to Thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

Then shall the Minister join their right hands together and 
say : 

Those whom God hath joined together let no man put 
asunder. 

Then shall the Minister speak unto the company: 

Forasmuch as M. and N. have consented together 
in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before 
God and this company, and thereto have given and 
pledged their troth each to the other, and have declared 
the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining 



l8 SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. 

hands ; I pronounce that they are Man and Wife, in the 
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost. Amen. 

And the Minister shall add this blessing: 

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, 
bless, preserve, and keep you ; the Lord mercifully with 
His favor look upon you, and fill you with all spirit- 
ual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together 
in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life 
everlasting. Amen. 



THE SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. 

The persons to he married standing together, the man on the 
right hand and the woman on the left, the Minister shall 
say : 

Grace be unto you, and mercy and peace, from God 
our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

You stand here before God and this company, to 
enter into the holy estate of marriage, which was insti- 
tuted by God, sanctioned by Christ, and commended by 
the Apostle Paul. 

I do solemnly charge you, as you shall one day give 
account to God, to declare if you know any just cause 
why you should not be joined in matrimony ; for if any 
are joined together otherwise than as God's word doth 
allow, their marriage is not lawful. 

A relation thus divinely instituted and sanctioned 
should not be entered into hastily or unadvisedly, but 
reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. You are 
carefully to consider the solemn obligations to which 
it commits you, binding you to mutual effort and self- 
sacrifice, to mutual love and unshaken fidelity. In the 
faithful discharge of these obligations your marriage 
will prove itself truly honourable, and well pleasing to 
God our Saviour. 

Then the Minister shall offer prayer as follows: 

O God, who art the Fountain of light and wisdom, we 
beseech Thee to enlighten the minds of these Thy serv- 
ants, that they may duly perceive and understand the 
nature of the obligations which Thou hast attached to 

19 



20 SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY, 

this holy estate ; and that, with a humble reliance upon 
Thy fatherly goodness and wisdom, they may enter into 
this covenant, and faithfully discharge all the duties 
which they here engage to perform. Grant this, O 
God, through Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen. 

Then the Minister shall say to the man: 

Do you {calling the man by his first name) take this 
woman to be your wife, engaging before God and these 
witnesses to love, honour and protect her, to cherish 
her in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in 
prosperity and in adversity, to be faithful to her, and 
never to forsake her so long as you both shall live ? 

The man shall answer: 
I will. 

Then the Minister shall say: 

Do you offer any pledge for the performance of this 

vow ? 

The man shall answer: 
I offer this ring. 

Then the man shall give the ring to the Minister, who shall 
return it to him, and direct him to place it upon the fourth 
finger of the woman's left hand; after which the Minister 
shall say to the woman: 

Do you {calling the woman by her first name), in 
receiving this ring, take this man to be your husband, 
engaging before God and these witnesses to render him 
all love, honour and fitting obedience, to be faithful to 
him in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in 



^ 



SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY, 2 1 

prosperity and in adversity, and never to forsake him 
so long as you both shall live ? 

The woman shall answer: 
I do. 

Then the Minister shall hid them to join their right hands, and 
shall say: 

Forasmuch as M and A^ {naming the first names of 
both parties) have consented to become husband and 
wife, and have solemnly pledged their faith each to 
the other, signifying the same by the giving and re- 
ceiving of a ring, I declare that they are husband and 
wife; and what God hath joined together let no man 
put asunder. 

Then the Minister shall offer prayer as follozus: 

O almighty and ever-blessed God, the giver of every 
good and perfect gift, be pleased to vouchsafe Thy 
blessing to these Thy servants whom we bless in Thy 
nam.e, granting them Thy heavenly grace to keep and 
perform the vows w^hich they have made, and attending 
their union with Thy continual presence, and further- 
ance in every good word and work ; so that, after they 
shall have well and faithfully fulfilled all the duties of 
this holy estate, they may enter into the eternal joy of 
Thy heavenly kingdom. And this we ask in the name 
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The peace of God which passeth all understanding 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love 
of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord ; and the 
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you 
always. Amen. 



THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 



While the children are being brought to the font, the Minister 
shall say: 

And they brought young children to Him that He 
should touch them; and His disciples rebuked those 
that brought them. 

But when Jesus saw it He was much displeased, and 
said unto them : Suffer the little children to come 
unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the king- 
dom of Heaven. 

Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive 
the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter 
therein. 

And He took them up in His arms, put His hands 
upon them and blessed them. 

Then shall the Minister exhort the parents as follows: 

Beloved, ye hear in this gospel the words of our 
Saviour Christ : that He commanded the children to be 
brought unto Him; how He blamed those who would 
have kept them from Him; how He exhorted all per- 
sons to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how, by 
His outward gesture and deed. He declared His good- 
will toward them ; for He embraced them in His arms, 
laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt 
ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe that He will 
favourably receive this infant, and embrace it in the 
arms of His mercy. Wherefore, being thus persuaded 

22 



THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 23 

of the good-will of our heavenly Father toward this 
child, let us call upon Him. 

Then shall the Minister offer prayer as follows: 

Almighty God, Eternal Father, who hast taught us 
that children are an heritage of the Lord, and by the 
word and act of Thy Son Jesus Christ hast declared 
Thy love for them, we pray Thee to receive this child 
into the covenant of Thy mercy ; take it into Thy pro- 
tection and love, and so guard it, O Thou tender 
Shepherd of our souls, through all the trials and temp- 
tations of this mortal life, that in the end it may safely 
arrive at Thy blessed fold, the church of the first-born 
in Heaven, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

Then the Minister shall address the parents, saying: 

Dearly beloved, we have prayed that our merciful 
Father would graciously receive this child into His 
flock, and\give him the kingdom of Heaven and ever- 
lasting lif e:^To this end, will you endeavour, with God's 
help, to bring up this child in the nurture and admon- 
ition of the Lord, and do all that in you lies to bring 
him to the knowledge and faith of his Saviour, Christ ? 
Will you be careful to fashion your lives after the rule 
and doctrine of Christ, and to make yourselves, as 
much as lieth in you, wholesome examples to this child ? 

Will you faithfully pray with and for him, and teach 
him also to pray ? 

Then the Minister shall say: 

O merciful God, grant that the old Adam in this child 
may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in 



24 THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 

him. Grant that all sinful affections may die in him, 
and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and 
grow in him. Grant that he may have power and 
strength to triumph against the devil, the world, and 
the flesh. Grant that he may receive the fullness of 
Thy grace, and ever remain in the number of Thy 
faithful children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

Then the Minister shall say to the parents: 
Name this child. 

And, naming it after them, he shall say: 

I baptize thee into the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's 
flock, in trust that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to 
confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to 
fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the 
devil, and to continue Christ^s faithful soldier and 
servant unto his life's end. 

Then the Minister shall offer prayer as follows: 

Almighty and most gracious God, the Father of 
whom every family in Heaven and earth is named, 
vouchsafe Thy fatherly benediction to Thy servants, 
the parents of this child, that they, being enlightened 
and guided by Thy Holy Spirit, may live as becometh 
Thy true children : that they may know what is Thy 
good and acceptable and perfect will, and have grace 
and power faithfully to fulfil the same. Aid them, we 
beseech Thee, to bring up this child in Thy fear, dili- 
gently to instruct him in the doctrine which is accord- 



THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS. 25 

ing to godliness, and both by precept and example to 
guide his steps in the way of righteousness and peace ; 
so that, at the last, they with their children may be 
numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of 
God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us 
all, evermore. Amen. 



THE ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF 
THE LORD^S SUPPER. 



The service shall he introduced by the singing of a hymn, an 
appropriate lesson of Scripture, and prayer as follows: 

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all de- 
sires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse 
the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy 
Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and wor- 
thily magnify Thy Holy Name; through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 

Take away from us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, all our 
iniquities, and the spirit of pride and arrogance which 
Thou resistest, and give us a contrite and humble heart, 
which Thou dost not despise, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

O God of light. Father of life, Author of grace, who 
givest to the weak-hearted who trust in Thee those 
things into which the angels desire to look; who hast 
raised us from darkness to light, hast given us life from 
death and freedom from bondage, and hast dissolved in 
us the darkness of sin by the coming of Thine only be- 
gotten Son; illuminate the eyes of our understanding 
by the visitation of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may with- 
out condemnation partake of this heavenly food. Re- 
ceive Thy Church approaching Thee through Christ; 
fulfil for each of us whatever is good for him ; bring us 
all to perfection, and make us meet for the grace of Thy 
sanctification, uniting us together in Thy holy Church 
which Thou hast purchased with the precious blood of 

26 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 27 

Thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ; to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be 
glory forever. Amen. 

Then shall the Minister say: 

Dearly beloved, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
who, though He was rich, yet, for our sake, became 
poor, hath committed His poor to the care of His 
Church. Wherefore, at this time especially, when ye 
are about to commemorate in this Holy Sacrament His 
adorable love and condescension, it is meet that ye give 
alms of such things as ye have, knowing that, inasmuch 
as ye show mercy unto one of the least of His brethren, 
ye do it unto Him. 

Then the alms shall he received, and the Minister meanwhile 
may read one or more of the following sentences: 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the 
will of my Father who is in heaven. — Matt. vii. 21. 

Give, and it shall be given unto you ; good measure, 
pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, 
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same 
measure that ye meet withal, it shall be measured to 
you again. — Luke vi. 38. 

Zaccheus stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, 
Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor ; and if I 
have taken anything from any man by false accusation, 
I restore him fourfold. — Luke xix. 8. 

He who soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; 
and he who soweth bountifully shall reap also bounti- 
fully. Every man according as he purposeth in his 
heart, so let him give ; not grudgingly, or of necessity, 
for God loveth a cheerful giver. — 2 CoR. ix. 6, 7. 



28 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

Be not deceived, God is not mocked ; for whatsoever 
a man soweth, that shall he also reap. — Gal. vi. 7. 

As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men ; 
especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 
— Gal. vi. 10. 

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they do 
good, that they be rich in good works, ready to dis- 
tribute, willing to communicate ; laying up in store for 
themselves a good foundation against the time to come, 
that they may lay hold on eternal life. — i Tim. vi. 17. 
18, 19. 

To do good, and to communicate, forget not; for 
with such sacrifices God is well pleased. — Heb. xiii. ib. 

Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother 
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion 
from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? — 
I John iii. 17. 

Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in 
deed and in truth. — i John iii. 18. 

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the 
Lord ; and that which he hath given will He pay him 
again. — Prov. xix. 17. 

Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord 
will deliver him in time of trouble. — Psalm xli. i. 

God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and 
labour of love, which ye have showed toward His 
Name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do 
minister. — Heb. vi. 10. 

Then the Minister shall say: 

Hear the words of the Institution of this Holy 
Supper of our Lord, as they are given by His Apostle, 
Paul : 

For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered 



THE LORD'S SUPPER, 



29 



unto you : how that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which 
He was betrayed, took bread : 

And when He had given thanks. He brake it, and 
said : This is my body, which is for you : this do in re- 
membrance of me. 

In Hke manner also the cup, after supper, saying, 
This cup is the new covenant in my blood : this do, as 
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, 
ye proclaim the Lord's death till He come. 

/hid he shall proceed as followeth: 

Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to 
the holy communion of the body and blood of our 
Saviour Christ : repent you truly for your sins past ; 
have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Saviour , 
amend your lives, and be in perfect charity with all men ; 
so shall ye be meet partakers of these holy mysteries. 
And above all things, ye must give most humble and 
hearty thanks to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
Ghost, for the redemption of the world by the death and 
passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and man ; who 
did humble Himself even to the death upon the cross, 
for us, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death; 
that He might make us the children of God, and exalt 
us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should 
always remember the exceeding great love of our 
Master and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, thus dying 
for us, and the innumerable benefits which, by His 
precious blood-shedding, He hath obtained to us, 
He hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries, as 
pledges of His love, and for a continual remembrance 
of His death, to our great and endless comfort. To 
Him, therefore, with the Father and the Holy Ghost/ 



30 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

let us give (as we are most bounden) continual thanks ; 
submitting ourselves wholly to His holy will and pleas- 
ure, and studying to serve flim in true holiness and 
righteousness all the days of our life; and let us, with 
one voice, now confess the faith of His holy Church 
universal, saying : 

I. 
Here the congregation shall audibly repeat with the Minister 
the Apostles' Creed: 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth : 

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who 
was conceived by the. Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin 
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, 
dead, and buried ; He descended into hell ; the third 
day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into 
heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father 
Almighty ; from thence he shall come to judge the quick 
and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic 
Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of 
sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life ever- 
lasting. Amen. ^ 

Then shall the Minister invite to the Holy Communion, say- 
ing: 

Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your 
sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbors, 
and intend to lead a new life, following the command- 
ments of God, and walking from henceforth in His 
holy ways; draw near with faith, and take this holy 
sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble 
confession to Almighty God, saying : 



THE LORD'S SUPPER, 31 



Or this. 



Ye who, being sensible of your lost and helpless state 
of sin, depend upon the atonement of Christ for pardon 
and acceptance with God, and desire to renounce your 
sins, and are determined to lead a holy and godly life, 
draw near, etc. 

Here the congregation shall audibly repeat with the Minister 
this Confession: 

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Maker of all things. Judge of all men ; we acknowledge 
and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, 
from time to time, most greviously have committed by 
thought, word, and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, 
provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation 
against us. We do earnestly repent and are heartily 
sorry for these our misdoings. The remembrance "of 
them is grievous unto us. Have mercy upon us, have 
mercy upon us, most merciful Father ; for Thy Son, our 
Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past, and 
grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please Thee 
in newness of life, to the honor and glory of Thy name, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

And the Minister shall offer this prayer: \ 

O Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, who 
for us wast slain, the innocent for the ungodly, remem- 
ber the price of Thy blood, and blot out the sins of all 
Thy people. 

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast prom- 
ised forgiveness of sins to all those that with hearty 
repentance and true faith turn unto Thee, have mercy 
upon Thy servants. Deal not with them after their 



32 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

sins, nor reward them according to their iniquities, but 
according to Thy gentleness and ineffable love, blotting 
out the handwriting that is against them, deliver them 
from all their sins ; give life to Thy servants, whose 
death Thou dost in no wise desire, and plant in them 
the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that they may 
say and do always such things as shall well please Thee, 
and come at last to Thine eternal joy, through Jesus 
Christ, our only Mediator and Redeemer. Amen. 

Aii^d the Minister shall proceed, saying: 

We do not presume to come to this Thy table, O 
merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in 
Thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy 
so much as to gather up the crumbs under Thy table. 
But Thou art the same Lord, whose property is always 
to have mercy; grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so 
to eat the flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to 
drink His blood, that our sinful souls and bodies may be 
cleansed through His most precious body and blood, 
and that we may evermore dwell in Him, and He in us. 

And we most humbly beseech Thee, O merciful 
Father, vouchsafe of Thine infinite goodness to bless 
and sanctify with Thy Word and Holy Spirit, these Thy 
creatures of bread and wine, that we, receiving them ac- 
cording to our Saviour Christ^s institution, in thankful 
remembrance of His death and passion, may by faith be 
made very partakers of His body and blood, to our sal- 
vation and the glory of Thy holy name. 

And, after a pause, the Minister shall say: 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sin of the world, 
look upon us and have mercy upon us. By Thine 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



33 



agony and bloody sweat ; by Thy cross and passion ; by 
Thy precious death and burial ; by Thy glorious resur- 
rection and ascension ; and by the coming of the Holy 
Ghost, save us, O Saviour of the world, who art, with 
the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world with- 
out end. Amen. 

Then the Minister, breaking the bread before the people, 
shall say: 

Our blessed Lord, the same night in which He was 
betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, 
He brake it and give it to His disciples, saying : ''Take, 
eat ; this is my body which is broken for you ; this do 
in remembrance of me/' Ministering in His name, I 
give this bread unto you. 

Here the bread is to be distributed; and after all have par- 
taken, the Minister shall take the cup, saying: 

After the same manner also He took the cup when He 
had supped, and after giving thanks, as hath been done 
in His name. He gave it to the disciples, saying : Drink 
ye all of this : for this cup is the new covenant in my 
blood, which is shed for the remission of sins. This do 
ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

After all have received the bread and wine, the Minister shall 
say. Let us pray. And the congregation shall audibly join 
in repeating the Lord's Prayer: 

Our Father which art in heaven, 

Hallow^ed be Thy name : 

Thy kingdom come : 

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven : 

Give us this day our daily bread : 



34 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors : 
And lead us not into temptation, 
But deliver us from evil : 

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, forever. Amen. 

And the Minister shall continue: 

O Lord and heavenly Father, we, Thy humble serv- 
ants, entirely desire Thy fatherly goodness mercifully to 
accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ; 
most humbly beseeching Thee to grant that, by the 
merits and death of Thy Son Jesus Christ, and through 
faith in His blood, we and all Thy whole Church may 
obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of 
His passion. And here we ofifer and present unto Thee, 
O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reason- 
able, holy, and living sacrifice unto Thee, humbly be- 
seeching Thee, that we who are partakers of this holy 
communion may be filled with Thy grace and heavenly 
benediction. And although we are unworthy, through 
our manifold sins, to offer unto Thee any sacrifice, yet 
we beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and 
service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our 
offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord ; by whom and 
with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor 
and glory be unto Thee, O Father Almighty, world 
without end. 

Almighty God, who hast given us grace, at this time, 
with one accord to make our common supplications 
unto Thee ; and dost promise that, when two or three 
are gathered together in Thy name. Thou wilt grant 
their requests ; fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and peti- 
tions of Thy servants, as may be most expedient for 
them; granting us in this world knowledge of Thy 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 35 

truth, and, in the world to come, life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Then shall be said or sung: 

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good- 
will towards men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we 
worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee, 
for Thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God 
the Father Almighty. 

O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ ; O Lord 
God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away 
the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that 
takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. 
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our 
prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the 
Father, have mercy upon us. 

For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord; 
Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most 
high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 

Then the Minister shall pronounce this blessing: 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love 
of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and 
the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you 
always. Amen. 

Or this: 

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the 
dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 
through the blood of the everlasting covenant. 



36 



THE LORD'S SUPPER, 



Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, 
working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, 
through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and 
ever. Amen. 



\[ 



SELECTIONS OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE SICK- 
ROOM. 



THE NEED AND PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS 

OF SIN. 

PSALM LI. I- 17. 

Have mercy upon me^ O God, according to Thy lov- 
ing kindness : according unto the muhitude of Thy ten- 
der mercies blot out my transgressions. 

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse 
me from my sin. 

For I acknowledge my transgressions : and my sin is 
ever before me. 

Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done 
this evil in Thy sight; that Thou mightest be justified 
when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest. 

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my 
mother conceive me. 

Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts : and 
in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash 
me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones 
which Thou hast broken may rejoice. 

Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine 
iniquities. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a 

right spirit within me. 

37 



38 THE SICK-ROOM, 

Cast me not away from Thy presence ; and take not 
Thy Holy Spirit from me. 

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and up- 
hold me with Thy free Spirit. 

Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways ; and sin- 
ners shall be converted unto Thee. 

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God 
of my salvation : and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy 
righteousness. 

O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall 
shew forth Thy praise. 

For Thou desirest not sacrifice ; else would I give it : 
Thou delightest not in burnt-offering. 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken 
and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. 

ISAIAH I. 16-18. 

Wash you, make you clean ; put away the evil of your 
doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil. 

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the op- 
pressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; 
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as 
snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be 
as wool. 

MICAH VII. 18, 19. 

Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, 
and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His 
heritage ? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because 
He delighteth in mercy. 

He will turn again. He will have compassion upon 



THE SICK-ROOM, 39 

us ; He will subdue our iniquities ; and Thou wilt cast 
all their sins into the depths of the sea. 



JOHN III. 14-18. 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 
even so must the Son of man be lifted up : 

That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 
but have eternal life. 

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. 

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn 
the world; but that the world through Him might be 
saved. \ ' 

He that believeth on Him is not condemned : but 
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he 
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son 
of God. 

ACTS III. 19; IV. 12. 

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins 
may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall 
come from the presence of the Lord. 

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is 
none other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved. 

ACTS. XVI. 25-31. 

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang 
praises unto God : and the prisoners heard them. 

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that 



40 THE SICK-ROOM. 

ilie foundations of the prison were shaken : and imme- 
diately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands 
were loosed. 

And the keeper of the prison, awaking out of his 
sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his 
sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that 
the prisoners had been fled. 

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself 
no harm : for we are all here. 

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came 
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, -A 

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do 
to be saved ? 

And they said. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 



ROMANS. V. 6-1 1. 

For when we were yet without strength, in due time 
Christ died for the ungodly. 

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet 
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to 
die. 

But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, 
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Much more, then, being now justified by His blood, 
we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to 
God by the death of His Son; much more, being re- 
conciled, we shall be saved by His life. 

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the 
atonement. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



ROMANS VIII. I-IO. 



41 



There is therefore now no condemnation to them 
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, 
but after the Spirit. 

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath 
made me free from the law of sin and death. 

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak 
through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the like- 
ness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the 
flesh: 

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled 
in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. . 

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things 
of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit, the things 
of the Spirit. 

For to be carnally minded is death ; but to be spirit- 
ually minded is life and peace. 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for 
it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be 
that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. 

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of 
sin ; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

I JOHN I. 8-10. 

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves 
and the truth is not in us. 

If w^e confess our sins, He is faithful and just to for- 
give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous- 
ness. 



42 THE SICK-ROOM, 

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a 
Har, and His word is not in us. 

LUKE XV. I, 24. 

Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sin- 
ners for to hear Him. 

And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, 
This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 

And He spake this parable unto them, saying. 

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose 
one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the 
wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he 
find it? 

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoul- 
ders, rejoicing. 

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his 
friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with 
me ; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven 
over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety 
and nine just persons which need no repentance. 

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she 
lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the 
house, and seek diligently till she find it ? 

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends 
and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; 
for I have found the piece which I had lost. 

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence 
of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 

And he said, A certain man had two sons : 

And the younger of them said to his father. Father, 
give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And 
he divided unto them his living. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 43 

And not many days after, the younger son gathered 
all together, and took his journey into a far country, 
and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty 
famine in that land ; and he began to be in want. 

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that 
country ; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks 
that the swine did eat : and no man gave unto him. 

And when he came to himself, he said. How many 
hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to 
spare, and I perish with hunger ! 

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto 
him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before 
thee, 

And am no more worthy to be called thy son : make 
me as one of thy hired servants. 

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he 
was yet a great way ofif, his father saw him, and had 
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed 
him. 

And the son said unto him. Father, I have sinned 
against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more 
worthy to be called thy son. 

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the 
best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his 
hand, and shoes on his feet : 

And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it ; and let 
us eat, and be merry. 

For this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was 
lost, and is found. 



44 THE SICK-ROOM. 

MONITIONS OF AFFLICTION. 

DEUTERONOMY VIII. 2-6. 

And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord 
thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to 
humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in 
thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His command- 
ments, or no. 

And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, 
and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, 
neither did thy fathers know ; that He might make thee 
knovN^ that man doth not live by bread only, but by 
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the 
Lord doth man live. 

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy 
foot swell, these forty years. 

Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a 
man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth 
thee. I 

Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the 
Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. 



JOB XI. 13-20. 






If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine 
hands toward Him ; 

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far av/ay, and let 
not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. J 

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea, 
thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear : 

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember 
it as waters that pass away : 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



45 



And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday ; thou 
shalt shme forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope ; yea, 
thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest 
in safety. 

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee 
afraid ; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall 
not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of 
the ghost. 

JOB XXXVI. S-I2. 

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any : He is 
mighty in strength and wisdom. 

He preserveth not the life of the wicked : but giveth 
right to the poor. 

He wuthdraweth not His eyes from the righteous : 
but with kings are they on the throne; yea, He doth 
establish them for ever, and they are exalted. 

And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in 
cords of affliction ; 

Then he sheweth them their work, and their trans- 
gressions that they have exceeded. 

He openeth also their ear to discipline, and command- 
eth that they retiirn from iniquity. 

If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their 
days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 

But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, 
and they shall die without knowledge. 

PSALM Lxxviii. 32-35. 

For all this they sinned still, and believed not for His 
wondrous works. 



46 THE SICK-ROOM. 

Therefore tHeir days did He consume in vanity, and 
their years in trouble. 

When He slew them, then they sought Him : and 
they returned and inquired early after God. 

And they remembered that God was their Rock, and 
the high God their Redeemer. 



PSALM Lxxxix. 30-33. 

If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my 
judgments ; 

If they break my statutes, and keep not my com- 
mandments ; 

Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and 
their iniquity with stripes. 

Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly 
take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 



LUKE XIII. 6-9. 

He spake also this parable : A certain man had a fig- 
tree planted in his vineyard ; and he came and sought 
fruit thereon, and found none. 

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Be- 
hold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig- 
tree, and find none : cut it down ; why cumbereth it 
the ground ? 

And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone 
this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it : 

And if it bear fruit, well : and if not, then after that 
thou shall cut it down. 



THE SICK-ROOM, 47 

BLESSINGS OF AFFLICTION. 

JOB V. 17-26. 

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth : 
therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Al- 
mighty : 

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up : He woundeth, 
and his hands make whole. 

He shall deliver thee in six troubles : yea, in seven 
there shall no evil touch thee. 

In famine He shall redeem thee from death : and in 
war from the power of the sword. 

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: 
neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it 
Cometh. 

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh : neither 
shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the 
field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with 
thee. 

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in 
peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt 
not sin. 

Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, 
and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a 
shock of corn cometh in in his season. 

JOHN XV. I, 2. 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh 
away : and every branch that beareth fruit. He purgeth 
it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 



48 THE SICK-ROOM, 



ROMANS V. 1-5. 

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : 

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace 
wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God. 

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; 
knowing that tribulation worketh patience ; 

And patience, experience ; and experience, hope : 

And hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of 
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
which is given unto us. 

2 CORINTHIANS IV. 6- 1 8. 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of 
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of 
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus 
Christ. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the 
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; we 
are perplexed, but not in despair ; 

Persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not de- 
stroyed ; 

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the 
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
manifest in our body. 

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for 
Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
manifest in our mortal flesh. 

So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



49 



written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we 
also believe, and therefore speak; 

Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus 
shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us 
with you. 

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant 
grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound 
to the glory of God. 

For which cause we faint not ; but though our out- 
ward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day 
by day. 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory; 

While we look not at the things which are seen, but 
at the things which are not seen : for the things which 
are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not 
seen are eternal. 



2 CORINTHIANS XII. 7-IO. 

And lest I should be exalted above measure through 
the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me 
a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet 
me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it 
might depart from me. 

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee : 
for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most 
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, 
that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, 
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's 
sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong. 



so THE SICK-ROOM, 

I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled 
me : for I ought to have been commended of you : for 
in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, 
though I be nothing. 

HEBREWS xii: 3-1 1. 

For consider him that endured such contradiction 
of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint 
in your minds. 

Ye have yet not resisted unto blood, striving against 
sin. 

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speak- 
eth unto you as unto children, My son, despise not 
thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou 
art rebuked of Him : 

For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and 
scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. 

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as 
with sons ; for what son is he whom the father chast- 
eneth not? 

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are 
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 

Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which 
corrected us, and we gave them reverence : shall we not 
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, 
and live ? 

For they verily for a few days chastened us after 
their own pleasure ; but He for our profit, that we might 
be partakers of His holiness. 

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be 
joyous, but grievous : nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth 
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which 
are exercised thereby. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 5 1 

I PETER I. 3-9. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath 
begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection 
of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and 
that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto 
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, 
if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temp- 
tations : 

That the trial of your faith, being much more prec- 
ious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with 
fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory 
at the appearing of Jesus Christ : 

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though 
now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory : 

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of 
your souls. 

PATIENCE AND TRUST. 

PSALM III. 1-8. 

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me ! Many 
are they that rise up against me. 

Many there be which say of my soul. There is no help 
for him in God. 

But Thou, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, 
and the lifter up of mine head. 



52 THE SICK-ROOM. 

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard 
me out of His holy hill. 

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord 
sustained me. 

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that 
have set themselves against me round about. 

Arise, O Lord ; save me, O my God : for Thou hast 
smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone; Thou 
hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord : Thy blessing is 
upon Thy people. 



PSALM xviii. I -19. 

I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength. 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliv- 
erer ; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust ; my 
buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high 
tower. 

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be 
praised : so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods 
of ungodly men made me afraid. 

The sorrows of hell compassed me about : the snares 
of death prevented me. 

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried 
unto my God : He heard my voice out of His temple, 
and my cry came before Him, even into His ears. 

Then the earth shook and trembled ; the foundations 
also of the hills moved and were shaken, because He 
was wroth. 

There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire 
out of His mouth devoured : coals were kindled by it. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 53 

He bowed the heavens also, and came down : and 
darkness was under His feet. 

And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea,. He 
did fly upon the wings of the wind. 

He made darkness His secret place; His pavilion 
round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds 
of the skies. 

At the brightness that was before Him His thick 
clouds passed ; hail-stones and coals of fire. 

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the 
Highest gave His voice ; hail-stones and coals of fire. 

Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; 
and He shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 

Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foun- 
dations of the world wxre discovered at Thy rebuke, O 
Lord, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils. 

He sent from above. He took me. He drew me out 
of many waters. 

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from 
them which hated me : for they were too strong for me. 

They prevented me in the day of my calamity; but 
the Lord was my stay. 

He brought me forth also into a large place ; He de- 
livered me, because He delighted in me. 



PSALM XX. 

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble ; the name 
of the God of Jacob defend thee ; 

Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen 
thee out of Zion ; 

Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt 
sacrifice. 



54 THE SICK-ROOM. 

Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil 
all thy counsel. 

We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of 
our God we will set up our banners : the Lord fulfil all 
thy petitions. 

Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed ; He 
will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving 
strength of His right hand. 

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses : but we 
will remember the name of the Lord our God. 

They are brought down and fallen : but we are risen, 
and stand upright. 

Save, Lord : let the King hear us when we call. 

PSALM XXIII. 

The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He 
leadeth me beside the still waters. 

He restoreth my soul : He leadeth me in the paths 
of righteousness for His name's sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
of death, I will fear no evil : for Thou art with me ; Thy 
rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of 
mine enemies; Thou anointest my head with oil; my 
cup runneth over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the 
days of my life : and I will dwell in the house of the 
Lord for ever. 

PSALM XXVII. 

The Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom shall I 
fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom 
shall I be afraid ? 



THE SICK-ROOM, 55 

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, 
came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 

Though a host should encamp against me, my heart 
shall not fear : though war should rise against me, in 
this will I be confident. 

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek 
after ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the 
days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and 
to inquire in His temple. 

For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His 
pavilion : in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide 
me ; He shall set me up upon a rock. 

And now shall my head be lifted up above mine ene- 
mies round about me: therefore will I offer in His 
tabernacles sacrifices of joy ; I will sing, yea, I will sing 
praises unto the Lord. 

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice : have mercy 
also upon me, and answer me. 

When Thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said 
unto Thee, Thy face. Lord, will I seek. 

Hide not Thy face far from me ; put not thy servant 
away in anger : Thou hast been my help ; leave me not, 
neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the 
Lord will take me up. 

Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain 
path, because of mine enemies. 

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies : 
for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as 
breathe out cruelty. 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the good- 
ness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and He shall 
strengthen thy heart : wait, I say, on the Lord. 



56 THE SICK-ROOM. 



PSALM XLII. 

As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth 
my soul after Thee, O God. 

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God : when 
shall I come and appear before God ? 

My tears have been my meat day and night, while 
they continually say unto me. Where is thy God ? 

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul 
in me : for I had gone with the multitude, I went with 
them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and 
praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art 
thou disquieted in me ? hope thou in God : for I shall 
yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. 

my God, my soul is cast down within me: there- 
fore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and 
of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy water- 
spouts : all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over 
me. 

Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in 
the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, 
and my prayer unto the God of my life. 

1 will say unto God my rock, Why hast Thou forgot- 
ten me ? why go I mourning because of the oppression 
of the enemy? 

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach 
me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art 
thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I 
shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my counte- 
nance, and my God. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



PSALM CXXI. 



57 



I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence 
Cometh my help. 

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven 
and earth. 

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : He that 
keepeth thee will not slumber. 

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber 
nor sleep. 

The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon 
thy right hand. 

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon 
by night. 

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil : He shall 
preserve thy soul. 

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy com- 
ing in from this time forth, and even for evermore. 

MATTHEW VI. 25-34. 

Therefore I say unto you. Take no thought for your 
life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet 
for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more 
than meat, and the body than raiment ? 

Behold the fowls of the air : for they sow not, neither 
do they reap, nor gather into barns ; yet your heavenly 
Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than 
they? 

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit 
unto his stature ? 

And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the 
lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither 
do they spin : 



58 THE SICK-ROOM. 

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon, in all 
his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, 
which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, 
shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith ? 

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we 
eat ? or, What shall we drink ? or. Wherewithal shall we 
be clothed ? 

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for 
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all 
these things. 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His right- 
eousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Take therefore no thought for the morrow : for the 
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. 
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

HERREWS X. 35-38. 

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath 
great recom.pense of reward. 

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done 
the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

For yet a little while, and He that shall come will 
come, and will not tarry. 

Now the just shall live by faith : but if any man draw 
back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

JAMES I. 2-7. 

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers 
temptations ; 

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh 
patience. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 59 

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may 
be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that 
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it 
shall be given him. 

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he 
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the 
wind and tossed. 

For let not that man think that he shall receive any 
thing of the Lord. 

JAMES V. 7-1 1. 

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the 
Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the prec- 
ious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, 
until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Be ye also patient ; establish your hearts : for the 
coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be 
condemned : behold, the Judge standeth before the door. 

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in 
the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering afflic- 
tion, and of patience. 

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have 
heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of 
the Lord ; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender 
mercy. 

I PETER IV. 12, 13. 

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery 
trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing 
happened unto you : 



6o THE SICK-ROOM. 

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's 
sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye 
may be glad also with exceeding joy. 

I PETER V. 6-1 1. 

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand 
of God, that He may exalt you in due time : 

Casting all your care upon Him ; for He careth for 
you. 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the 
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he 
may devour : 

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the 
same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that 
are in the world. 

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His 
eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suf- 
fered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, 
settle you. 

To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. 
Amen. 



DIVINE MERCY AND SYMPATHY. 

PSALM XXV. 12-22. 

What man is he that f eareth the Lord ? him shall He 
teach in the way that He shall choose. 

His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall in- 
herit the earth. 

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; 
and He will shew them His covenant. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 6 1 

Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall 
pluck my feet out of the net. 

Turn Thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for 
I am desolate and afflicted. 

The troubles of my heart are enlarged : O bring Thou 
me out of my distresses. 

Look upon mine affliction and my pain ; and forgive 
all my sins. 

Consider mine enemies ; for they are many ; and they 
hate me with cruel hatred. 

O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be 
ashamed ; for I put my trust in Thee. 

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me ; for I wait 
on Thee. 

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. 



PSALM XXXIV. 15-22. 

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and 
His ears are open unto their cry. 

The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to 
cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and deliver- 
eth them out of all their troubles. 

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken 
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous : but the 
Lord delivereth him out of them all. 

He keepeth all his bones : not one of them is broken. 

Evil shall slay the wicked : and they that hate the 
righteous shall be desolate. 

The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants : and 
none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate. 



62 THE SICK-ROOM. 



PSALM cm. 1 0-18. 

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor re- 
warded us according to our iniquities. 

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great 
is His mercy toward them that fear Him. 

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He 
removed our transgressions from us. 

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord piti- 
eth them that fear Him. 

For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that 
we are dust. 

As for man, his days are as grass : as a flower of the 
field, so he flourisheth. 

For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone ; and the 
place thereof shall know it no more. 

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to ever- 
lasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness 
unto children's children ; 

To such as keep His covenant, and to those that re- 
member His commandments to do them. 

ISAIAH XL. 25-31. 

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal ? 
saith the Holy One. 

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath cre- 
ated these things, that bringeth out their host by num- 
ber : He calleth them all by names, by the greatness of 
His might, for that He is strong in power; not one 
faileth. 

Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, 
My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is 
passed over from my God ? 



THE SICK-ROOM, 63 

Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard, that the 
everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of 
the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no 
searching of His understanding. 

He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have 
no might He increaseth strength. 

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the 
young men shall utterly fall : 

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; 
they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk, 
and not faint. 

ISAIAH XLiii. 1-2. 

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O 
Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not : for 
I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name ; 
thou art mine. 

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with 
thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow 
thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt 
not be burned ; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 



ISAIAH Liii. 3-12. 

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sor- 
rows, and acquainted with grief : and we hid as it were 
our faces from Him ; He was despised, and we esteemed 
Him not. 

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sor- 
rows : yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, 
and afflicted. 

But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was 



64 THE SICK-ROOM. 

bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace 
was upon Him ; and with His stripes we are healed. 

All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned 
every one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid on 
Him the iniquity of us all. 

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He 
opened not His mouth : He is brought as a lamb to the 
slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, 
so He openeth not His mouth. 

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and 
who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off 
out of the land of the living: for the transgression of 
my people was He stricken. 

And He made His grave with the wicked, and with 
the rich in His death ; because He had done no violence, 
neither was any deceit in His mouth. 

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him ; He hath put 
Him to grief : when thou shalt make His soul an offer- 
ing for sin. He shall see His seed. He shall prolong His 
days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His 
hand. 

He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be 
satisfied : by His knowledge shall my righteous servant 
justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. 

Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, 
and He shall divide the spoil with, the strong, because 
He hath poured out His soul unto death : and He was 
numbered with the transgressors ; and He bare the sin 
of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

ISAIAH Liv. 7-12. 

For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with 
great mercies will I gather thee. 



THE SICK-ROOM, 65 

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a mo- 
ment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy 
on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. 

For this is as the waters of Noah unto me : for as I 
have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go 
over the earth ; so have I sworn that I would not be 
wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be re- 
moved ; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, 
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith 
the Lord that hath mercy on thee. 

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not com- 
forted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, 
and lay thy foundations with sapphires. 

And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy 
gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant 
stones. 

JOHN XIV. 25-27. 

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet 
present with you. 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom 
the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you 
all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, 
whatsoever I have said unto you. 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you ; 
not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your 
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

JOHN XV. 15-16. 

Henceforth I call you not servants ; for the servant 
knoweth not what his lord doeth : but I have called you 
friends ; for all things that I have heard of my Father I 
have made known unto you. 



66 THE SICK-ROOM. 

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and 
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, 
and that your fruit should remain ; that whatsoever ye 
shall ask of the Father in my name. He may give it you, 

HEBREWS IV. 14-16. 

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is 
passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us 
hold fast our profession. 

For we have not a high priest which cannot be 
touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in 
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, 
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in 
time of need. 



RECOVERY. 



PSALM XXX. 



I will extol Thee, O Lord ; for Thou hast lifted mc 
up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 

O Lord my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast 
healed me. 

O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from the 
grave. Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go 
down to the pit. 

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give 
thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. 

For His anger endureth but a moment; in His 
favour is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy 
cometh in the morning. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 67 

And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 

Lord, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain 
to stand strong : Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was 
troubled. 

I cried to Thee, O Lord ; and unto the Lord I made 
supplication. 

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to 
the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? shall it declare 
Thy truth ? 

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be 
Thou my helper. 

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing : 
Thou hast put off my sackcloth, .and girded me with 
gladness ; 

To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, 
and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks 
unto Thee for ever. 

PSALM xxxiv. i-io; 17-22. 

I will bless the Lord at all times : His praise shall 
continually be in my mouth. 

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the hum- 
ble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 

magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His 
name together. 

1 sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered 
me from all my fears. 

They looked unto Him, and were lightened : and their 
faces were not ashamed. 

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and 
saved him out of all his troubles. 

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them 
that fear Him, and delivereth them. 



68 THE SICK-ROOM. 

O taste and see that the Lord is good : blessed is the 
man that trusteth in Him. 

fear the Lord, ye His saints : for there is no want 
to them that fear Him. 

The young Hons do lack, and suffer hunger : but they 
that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. 

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and deliv- 
ereth them out of all their troubles. 

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken 
heart ; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous : but the 
Lord delivereth him out of them all. 

He keepeth all his bones ; not one of them is broken. 

Evil shall slay the wicked : and they that hate the 
righteous shall be desolate. 

The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants : and 
none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate. 

PSALM cxvi. 

1 love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and 
my supplications. 

Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore 
will I call upon Him as long as I live. 

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of 
hell gat hold upon me : I found trouble and sorrow. 

Then called I upon the name of the Lord ; O Lord, 
I beseech Thee, deliver my soul. 

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous ; yea, our God is 
merciful. 

The Lord preserveth the simple : I was brought low, 
and He helped me. 

Return unto thy rest, O my soul : for the Lord hath 
dealt bountifuUv with thee. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 69 

For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine 
eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 

I believed, therefore have I spoken : I was greatly 
afflicted : 

I said in my haste, All men are liars. 

What shall I render unto the Lord for all His bene- 
fits toward me? 

I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the 
name of the Lord. 

I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence 
of all His people. 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His 
saints. 

Lord, truly I am Thy servant : I am Thy servant 
and the son of Thine handmaid : Thou hast loosed my 
bonds. 

1 will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and 
will call upon the name of the Lord. 

I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the pres- 
ence of all His people. 

In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of 
Thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord. 

ISAIAH XXXVIII. 9-20. 

The writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah, when he 
had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness : 

I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the 
gates of the grave : I am deprived of the residue of my 
years. 

I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the 
land of the living: I shall behold man no more with 
the inhabitants of the world. 



70 THE SICK-ROOM. 

Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a 
shepherd's tent : I have cut off like a weaver my life : 
He will cut me off with pining sickness : from day even 
to night wilt Thou make an end of me. 

I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will He 
break all my bones : from day even to night wilt Thou 
make an end of me. 

Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did 
mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: 
O Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for me. 

What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, 
and Himself hath done it : I shall go softly all my years 
in the bitterness of my soul. 

O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these 
things is the life of my spirit : so wilt Thou recover me, 
and make me to live. 

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness ; but Thou 
hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of cor- 
ruption : for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy 
back. 

For the grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot cele- 
brate Thee : they that go down into the pit cannot hope 
for Thy truth. 

The living, the living. He shall praise thee, as I do 
this day : the father to the children shall make known 
Thy truth. 

The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will 
sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days 
of our lives in the house of the Lord. 

MARK V. t8-20. 

And when he was come into the ship, he that had 
been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might 
be with Him. 



THE SICK-ROOM. 71 

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, 
Go home to thy friends, and teh them how great things 
the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion 
on thee. 

And he departed, and began to publish in DecapoHs 
how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men 
did marvel. 

PHiLiPPiANS II. 25-30. 

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphro- 
ditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow- 
soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to 
my wants. 

For he longed after you all, and was full of heavi- 
ness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death; but God 
had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me 
also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 

I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when 
ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the 
less sorrowful. 

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness ; 
and hold such in reputation : 

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto 
death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of 
service toward me. 

FOR CHRISTIANS APPOINTED TO DIE. 

PSALM XVI. 8-1 1. 

I have set the Lord always before me : because He is 
at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : 
my flesh also shall rest in hope. 



J2 THE SICK-ROOM. 

For Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; neither wilt 
Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. 

Thou wilt shew me the path of life : in Thy presence 
is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures 
for evermore. 

JOHN XIV. 1-6; XVII. 24. 

Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, 
believe also in me. 

In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were 
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place 
for you. 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come 
again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, 
there ye may be also. 

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither 
Thou goest ; and how can wx know the way ? 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, 
and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by 
me. 

Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given 
me be with me where I am ; that they may behold my 
glory which Thou hast given me : for Thou lovedst me 
before the foundation of the world. 

ROMANS VIII. 15-23; 35-37. 

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again 
to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, 
whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that 
we are the children of God : 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



n 



And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint- 
heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that 
we may be also glorified together. 

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time 
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which 
shall be revealed in us. 

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth 
for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not wil- 
lingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the 
vSame in hope; 

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered 
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty 
of the children of God. 

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and 
travaileth in pain together until now. 

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have 
the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan 
within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the 
redemption of our body. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall 
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or 
nakedness, or peril, or sword ? 

As it is written. For Thy sake we are killed all the 
day long ; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, 
through Him that loved us. 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor 
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pres- 
ent, nor things to come, 

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall 
be able to separate us from the love of God which is in 
Christ Jesus our Lord. 



74 THE SICK-ROOM, 

I CORINTHIANS XV. I9-26 ; S3-57. 

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of 
all men most miserable. 

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become 
the firstfruits of them that slept. 

For since by man came death, by man came also the 
resurrection of the dead. 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 
made alive. 

But every man in his own order: Christ the first- 
fruits ; afterward they that are Christ^s at His coming. 

Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered 
up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He 
shall have put down all rule, and all authority and 
power. 

For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under 
His feet. * 

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and 
this mortal must put on immortality. 

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorrup- 
tion, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then 
shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 
Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy 
victory ? 

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin 
is the law. 

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2 CORINTHIANS V. 1-8. 

For we know that, if our earthly house of this taber- 



THE SICK-ROOM. 



75 



nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a 
house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. 

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed 
upon with our house which is from heaven : 

If so that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being 
burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but 
clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of 
life. 

Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing 
is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the 
Spirit. 

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, 
whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from 
the Lord. 

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ab- 
sent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 

PHiLiPPiANS I. 20-23. 

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, 
that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all 
boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magni- 
fied in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

But if 1 live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my la- 
bour : yet what I shall choose I wot not. 

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to 
depart, and to be with Christ ; which is far better. 

PHILIPPIANS III. 20, 21. 

For our conversation is in heaven : from whence also 
we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ : 



76 THE SICK-ROOM. 

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be 
fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the 
working whereby He is able even to subdue all things 
unto Himself. 

2 TIMOTHY IV. 6-8. 

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my 
departure is at hand. 

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 
I have kept the faith : 

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of right- 
eousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall 
give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto all 
them also that love His appearing. 

HEBREWS II. 14, 15. 

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh 
and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the 
same; that through death He might destroy him that 
had the power of death, that is, the devil ; 

And deliver them, who through fear of death were 
all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

I JOHN III. I, 2. 

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath be- 
stowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of 
God ; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it 
knew Him not. 

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not 
yet appear what we shall be : but we know that, when 
He shall appear, we shall be like Him ; for we shall see 
Him as Fie is. 



THE ORDER FOR THE BURIAL OF THE 

DEAD. 



The Minister, meeting the Body at the entrance of the Churchy 

and going before it into the Church, shall say: 

I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord ; 
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall 
he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall 
never die. — St. John xi. 25, 26. 

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall 
stand at the latter day upon the earth : and though after 
my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I 
see God ; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes 
shall behold, and not another. — Job xix. 25-27. 

We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain 
we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave and the 
Lord hath taken away : blessed be the name of the 
Lord. — I Tim. vi. 7; Job i. 21. 

After the body is placed in the church, the Minister shall say: 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in 
trouble. 

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be re- 
moved, and though the mountains be carried into the 
midst of the sea ; 

Though the waters thereof i-oar and be troubled, 
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 
— ^Ps. xlvi. 1-3. 

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all com- 
fort; 

77 . 



78 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we 
may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble 
by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted 
of God. — 2 CoR. i. 3-4. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty and everlasting God, the comfort of the 
sad, the strength of sufferers, let the prayers of those 
who cry out of their tribulation come unto Thee, that 
they may find Thy mercy present with them in their 
afflictions, through Christ our Lord. 

O Eternal and ever-blessed God, clouds and darkness 
are round about Thee, but justice and judgment are 
the habitation of Thy throne; mercy and truth go be- 
fore Thy face. Our flesh and our heart fail ; but Thou 
art the strength of our heart, and our portion forever. 
O Thou who hast told us that Thou dost not willingly 
afflict or grieve the children of men, look with pity 
upon the sorrows of Thy servants, and grant that while 
they mourn they may not murmur or faint under Thy 
rod; but, remembering Thy past and present mercies. 
Thy promises, and all Thy love in Christ, may resign 
themselves meekly into Thy hands. Sanctify Thy 
fatherly correction to them. Give them patience under 
their affliction, and resignation to Thy blessed will. 
Comfort them with a sense of Thy goodness and com- 
passion ; and cause them to cleave the more closely to 
Thee, who bringest life out of death, and who canst 
turn their grief into eternal joy, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 

Here, if desired, a hymn may he sung. 

Then shall he read portions of the following lessons, at the 
discretion of the Minister: 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 79 

MORTALITY. 

PSALM XXXIX. 

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure 
of my days, what it is ; that I may know how frail I am. 

Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth ; 
and mine age is as nothing before Thee: verily every 
man at his best state is altogether vanity. 

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew : surely 
they are disquieted in vain : He heapeth up riches, and 
knoweth not who shall gather them. 

And now, Lord, what wait I for ? my hope is in Thee. 

Deliver me. from all my transgressions ; make me not 
the reproach of the foolish. 

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth ; because Thou 
didst it. 

Remove Thy stroke away from me : I am consumed 
by the blow of Thine hand. 

When Thou with rebukes dost correct man for 
iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like 
a moth : surely every man is vanity. 

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry : 
hold not Thy peace at my tears : for I am a stranger 
with Thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. 

O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go 
hence, and be no more. 

PSALM xc. 

Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all gen- 
erations. 

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever 



8o BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from 
everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. 

Thou turnest man to destruction ; and sayest, Return, 
ye children of men. 

For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yester- 
day when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 

Thou carriest them away as with a flood ; they are as 
a sleep ; in the morning they are like grass which grow- 
eth up. 

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in 
the evening it is cut down, and withereth. 

For we are consumed by Thine anger, and by Thy 
wrath are we troubled. 

Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret 
sins in the light of Thy countenance. 

For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath : we 
spend our years as a tale that is told. 

The days of our years are threescore years and ten ; 
and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, 
yet is their strength labour and sorrow ; for it is soon 
cut off, and we fly away. 

Who knoweth the power of Thine anger? even ac- 
cording to Thy fear, so is Thy wrath. 

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply 
our hearts unto wisdom. 

Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent Thee 
concerniug Thy servants. 

O satisfy us early with Thy mercy ; that we may re- 
joice and be glad all our days. 

Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou 
hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen 
evil. 

Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy 
glory unto their children. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 8 1 

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us : 
and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us, 
yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it. 

AFFLICTION SANCTIFIED AND 
COMFORTED. 

HEBREWS XII. I-I3. 

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with 
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every 
weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and 
let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our 
faith; who, for the joy that was set before Him, en- 
dured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at 
the right hand of the throne of God. 

For consider Him that endured such contradiction 
of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint 
in your minds. 

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against 
sin. 

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speak- 
eth unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou 
the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art re- 
buked of Him : 

For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and 
scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. 

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as 
with sons : for what son is he whom the father chasten- 
eth not? 

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are 
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 

Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which 



82 BURIAL OF THE DEAD, 

corrected us, and we gave them reverence : shall we not 
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, 
and live ? 

For they verily for a few days chastened us after 
their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we 
might be partakers of His holiness. 

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be 
joyous, but grievous : nevertheless, afterward, it yield- 
eth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them 
which are exercised thereby. 

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and 
the feeble knees ; 

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that 
which is lame be turned out of the way ; but let.it rather 
be healed. 

ISAIAH Liv. 7-12. 

For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with 
great mercies will I gather thee. 

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a mo- 
ment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy 
on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. 

For this is as the waters of Noah unto me : for as I 
have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go 
over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be 
wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be re- 
moved; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, 
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith 
the Lord that hath mercy on thee. 

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not com- 
forted ! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, 
and lay thy foundations with sapphires. 

And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 83 

gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant 
stones. 

PSALM XXV. 

Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 

O my God, I trust in Thee : let me not be ashamed, 
let not mine enemies triumph over me. 

Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed : let them 
be ashamed which transgress without cause. 

Shew me Thy ways, O Lord ; teach me Thy paths. 

Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me : for Thou art 
the God of my salvation ; on Thee do I wait all the day. 

Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy 
loving-kindnesses ; for they have been ever of old. 

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my trans- 
gressions : according to Thy mercy remember Thou me 
for Thy goodness' sake, O Lord. 

Good and upright is the Lord : therefore will He 
teach sinners in the way. 

The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek 
will He teach his way. 

All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto 
such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. 

For Thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, 
for it is great. 

What man is he that f eareth the Lord ? him shall He 
teach in the way that he shall choose. 

His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit 
the earth. 

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him ; 
and He will shew them His covenant. 

Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall 
pluck my feet out of the net. 

Turn Thee unto me, and have mercy upon me ; for I 
am desolate and afflicted. 



84 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

The troubles of my heart are enlarged : O bring 
Thou me out of my distresses. 

Look upon mine affliction and my pain ; and forgive 
all my sins. 

Consider mine enemies ; for they are many ; and they 
hate me with cruel hatred. 

O keep my soul, and deliver me : let me not be 
ashamed ; for I put my trust in Thee. 

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me ; for I wait 
on Thee. 

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. 

PSALM XLII. 

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth 
my soul after Thee, O God. 

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God : when 
shall I come and appear before God ? 

My tears have been my meat day and night, while 
they continually say unto me. Where is thy God ? 

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul 
in me : for I had gone with the multitude, I went with 
them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and 
praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art 
thou disquieted in me ? hope thou in God : for I shall 
yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. 

O my God, my soul is cast down within me : there- 
fore will I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, and 
of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 

Deep calleth unto deep, at the noise of Thy water- 
spouts : all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over 
me. 

Yet the Lord will command His loving-kindness in 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 85 

the day-time, and in the night His song shall be with 
me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast Thou forgot- 
ten me ? why go I mourning because of the oppression 
of the enemy ? 

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach 
me ; while they say daily unto me. Where is thy God ? 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art 
thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I 
shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my coun- 
tenance, and my God. 

PSALM LXXVII. 

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with 
my voice ; and He gave ear unto me. 

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord : my sore 
ran in the night, and ceased not : my soul refused to be 
comforted. 

I remembered God, and was troubled : I complained, 
and my spirit was overwhelmed. 

Thou boldest mine eyes waking : I am so troubled 
that I cannot speak. 

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient 
times. 

I call to remembrance my song in the night : I com- 
mune with mine own heart : and my spirit made dili- 
gent search. 

Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will He be 
favourable no more? 

Is His mercy clean gone for ever ? doth His promise 
fail for evermore? 

Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath He in an- 
ger shut up His tender mercies ? 



86 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

And I said, This is my infirmity : but I will remem- 
ber the years of the right hand of the Most High. 

I will remember the works of the Lord : surely I will 
remember Thy wonders of old. 

I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy 
doings. 

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so 
great a God as our God ? 

Thou art the God that doest wonders : Thou hast de- 
clared Thy strength among the people. 

Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the 
sons of Jacob and Joseph. 

The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee ; 
they were afraid : the depths also were troubled. 

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a 
sound : Thine arrows also went abroad. 

The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven : the 
lightnings lightened the world : the earth trembled and 
shook. 

Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great 
waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. 

Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of 
Moses and Aaron. 

PSALM CXLIII. 

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplica- 
tions : in Thy faithfulness answer me, and in Thy right- 
eousness. 

And enter not into judgment with Thy servant : for 
in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. 

For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath 
smitten my life down to the ground ; he hath made me 
to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 87 

Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my 
heart within me is desolate. 

I remember the days of old, I meditate on all Thy 
works ; I muse on the work of Thy hands. 

I stretch forth my hands unto Thee : my soul thirst- 
eth after Thee, as a thirsty land. 

Hear me speedily, O Lord : my spirit faileth : hide 
not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go 
down into the pit. 

Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morn- 
ing ; for in Thee do I trust : cause me to know the way 
wherein I should walk ; for I lift up my soul unto Thee. 

Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies : I flee unto 
Thee to hide me. 

Teach me to do Thy will ; for Thou art my God : Thy 
spirit is good ; lead me into the land of uprightness. 

Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy name's sake ; for Thy 
righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 

And of Thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy 
all them that afflict my soul : for I am Thy servant. 



RESURRECTION. 

I COR. XV. 20-58. 

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become 
the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man 
came death, by man came also the resurrection of the 
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall 
all be made alive. But every man in his own order: 
Christ the first-fruits ; afterwards, they that are Christ's 
at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall 



88 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father ; 
when He shall have put down all rule, and all authority 
and power. 

For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under 
His feet. 

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 

For He hath put all things under His feet. But 
when He saith all things are put under Him, it is mani- 
fest that He is excepted which did put all things under 
Him. 

And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, 
then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him 
that put all things under Him, that God may be all 
in all. 

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the 
dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then 
baptized for the dead ? 

And why stand we in jeopardy every hour ? 

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ 
Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 

If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts 
at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise 
not ? let us eat and drink ; for to-morrow we die. 

Be not deceived : Evil communications corrupt good 
manners. 

Awake to righteousness, and sin not ; for some have 
not the knowledge of God : I speak this to your shame. 

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up ? 
and with what body do they come ? 

Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened 
except it die : 

And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that 
body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of 
wheat, or of some other grain : 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 89 

But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased. Him, and 
to every seed His own body. 

All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one kind 
of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, 
and another of birds. 

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial : 
but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the 
terrestrial is another. 

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of 
the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star 
difl^ereth from another star in glory. > 

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in 
corruption, it is raised in incorruption : 

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory : it is sown 
in weakness, it is raised in power : 

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a 
living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening 
spirit. 

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that 
which is natural ; and afterwards that which is spiritual. 
The first man is of the earth, earthy : the second man 
is the Lord from heaven. 

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy ; 
and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are 
heavenly. 

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we 
shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot 
inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth corruption 
inherit incorruption. 

Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep 
but we shall all be changed, 



90 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last 
trump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and 
this mortal must put on immortality. 

So when this corruptible shall have put on incor- 
ruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, 
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 
Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy 
victory ? 

The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is 
the law. 

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, un- 
movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, 
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in 
the Lord. 

JOHN XI. 17-44. 

Then when Jesus came, He found that He had lain 
in the grave four days already. 

(Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fif- 
teen furlongs off:) 

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to 
comfort them concerning their brother. 

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was 
coming, went and met Him : but Mary sat still in the 
house. 

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if Thou hadst 
been here, my brother had not died. 

But I know that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask 
of God, God will give it Thee. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD, 91 

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 

Martha saith unto Him, I know that He shall rise 
again in the resurrection at the last day. 

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the 
life : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet 
shall he live : 

And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never 
die. Believest thou this ? 

She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord : I believe that Thou 
art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into 
the world. 

And when she had so said, she went her way, and 
called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master has 
come, and calleth for thee. 

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and 
came unto Him. 

Now Jesiis was not yet come into the town, but was 
in that place where Martha met Him. 

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and 
comforted her, wdien they saw Mary that she rose up 
hastily, and went out, followed her, saying. She go 3th 
unto the grave to weep there. 

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and 
saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, 
Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had nor 
died. 

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews* 
also weeping which came with her. He groaned in the 
spirit, and was troubled. 

And said. Where have ye laid him ? They said unto 
Him, Lord, come and see. 

Jesus wept. 

Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him ! 

And some of them said. Could not this man, which 



92 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that evem 
this man should not have died ? 

Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to 
the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 

Jesus said. Take ye away the stone. Martha, the 
sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by 
this time he stinketh : for he hath been dead four days. 

Jesus saith unto her. Said I not unto thee, that, if 
thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of 
God? 

Then they took away the stone from the place where 
the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and 
said. Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. 

And I knew that Thou hearest me always; but be- 
cause of the people w^hich stand by I said it, that they 
may believe that Thou hast sent me. 

And when He thus had spoken. He cried with a loud 
voice, Lazarus, come forth. 

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and 
foot with grave-clothes : and his face was bound about 
with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and 
let him go. 

LUKE VII. 11-16. 

And it came to pass the day after, that He went into 
a city called Nain ; and many of His disciples went with 
Him, and much people. 

Now when He came nigh to the gate of the city, be- 
hold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son 
of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people 
of the city was with her. 

And when the Lord saw her. He had compassion on 
her, and said unto her, Weep not. 

And He came and touched the bier: and they that 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 



93 



bare him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say 
unto thee. Arise. 

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak, 
and He delivered him to his mother. 

And there came a fear on all : and they glorified God, 
saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us ; and. 
That God hath visited His people. 

I THESSALONIANS IV. I5-18. 

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 
that we which are alive and remain unto the coming 
of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with 
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the 
trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught 
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord 
in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. 

ACTS IX. 36-42. 

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named 
Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas ; this 
woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which 
she did. 

And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, 
and died : whom when they had washed, they laid her 
in an upper chamber. 

And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the 
disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto 
him two men, desiring him that he would not delay 
to come to them. 

Then Peter arose, and went with them. When he 



94 BURIAL OF THE DEAD, 

was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: 
and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing 
the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she 
was with them. 

But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and 
prayed; and turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, 
arise. And she opened her eyes : and when she saw 
Peter, she sat up. 

. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up; and 
when he had called the saints and widows, he presented 
her alive. 

And it was known throughout all Joppa: and many 
believed in the Lord. 

FUTURE GLORY AND ETERNAL UNION 
WITH CHRIST. 

ROMANS VIII. 18-39. 

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time 
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which 
shall be revealed in us. 

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth 
for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not will- 
ingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the 
same in hope, 

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered 
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty 
of the children of God. 

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and 
travaileth in pain together until now. 

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have 
the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 



95 



within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the 
redemption of our body. 

For we are saved by hope : but hope that is seen is 
not hope : for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope 
for? 

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with 
patience wait for it. 

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for 
we know not what we should pray for as we ought : but 
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groan- 
ings which cannot be uttered. 

And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is 
the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession 
for the saints according to the will of God. 

And we know that all things work together for good 
to them that love God, to them who are the called ac- 
cording to His purpose. 

For whom He did foreknow. He also did predestinate 
to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might 
be the first-born among many brethren. 

Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also 
called : and whom he called, them He also justified : 
and whom He justified, them He also glorified. 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be 
for us, who can be against us ? 

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him 
up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely 
give us all things ? 

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? 
It is God that justifieth. 

Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, 
yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right 
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall 



96 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or 
nakedness, or peril, or sword ? 

As it is written. For Thy sake we are killed all the 
day long ; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors 
through Him that loved us. 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor fife, nor 
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things pres- 
ent, nor things to come. 

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall 
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in 
Christ Jesus our Lord. 

2 CORINTHIANS IV. 7-18. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the 
excellency of the power may be of God, and riot of us. 

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; 
we are perplexed, but not in despair ; 

Persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not de- 
stroyed ; 

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the 
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
manifest in our body. 

For we which live are always delivered unto death 
for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made 
manifest in our mortal flesh. 

So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is 
written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we 
also believe, and therefore speak ; 

Knowing, that He which raised up the Lord Jesus, 
shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with 
you. 

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant 




BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 97 

grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound 
to the glory of God. 

For which cause we faint not ; but though our out- 
ward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day 
by day. 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory ; 

While we look not at the things which are seen, iDUt 
at the things which are not seen : for the things which 
are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not 
seen are eternal. 

2 CORINTHIANS V. I-IO. 

For we know that if our earthly house of this taber- 
nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an 
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed 
upon with our house which is from heaven : 

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found 
naked. 

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being 
burdened : not for that we would be unclothed, but 
clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of 
life. 

Now He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing 
is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the 
Spirit. 

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, 
whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from 
the Lord : 

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ab- 
sent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 



98 BURIAL OF THE DEAD, 

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, 
we may be accepted of Him. 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of 
Christ; that every one may receive the things done in 
his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be 
good or bad. 

REVELATION XXI. I-4, 22-27. 

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth : for the 
first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and 
there was no more sea. 

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, com- 
ing down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride 
adorned for her husband. 

And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying. Be- 
hold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will 
dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God 
Himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; 
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor 
crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the 
former things are passed away. 

And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God Al- 
mighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the 
moon, to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, 
and the Lamb is the light thereof. 

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk 
in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring 
their glory and honour into it. 

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: 
for there shall be no night there. 

And they shall bring the glory and honor of the na- 
tions into it. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 



99 



And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that 
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or 
maketh a lie ; but they which are written in the Lamb's 
book of life. 

REVELATION XXII. I-/. 

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear 
as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of 
the Lamb. 

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of 
the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve 
manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; 
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the 
nations. 

And there shall be no more curse : but the throne of 
God and of the Lamb shall be in it ; and His servants 
shall serve Him : 

And they shall see His face ; and His name shall be 
in their foreheads. 

And there shall be no night there ; and they need no 
candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God giv- 
eth them light : and they shall reign for ever and ever. 

And He said unto me. These sayings are faithful and 
true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His 
angel to shew unto His servants the things which must 
shortly be done. 

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth 
the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 

GODLY LIVING IN VIEW OF DEATH. 

I PETER I. 13-25. 

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, 
and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought 
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ : 

LofC. 



100 BURIAL OF THE DEAD, 

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves ac- 
cording to the former lusts in your ignorance : 

But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye 
holy in all manner of conversation; 

Because it is written, Be ye holy ; for I am holy. 

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of 
persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass 
the time of your sojourning here in fear : 

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed 
with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your 
vain conversation received by tradition from your fa- 
thers ; 

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb 
without blemish and without spot : 

Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation 
of the world, but was manifest in these last times for 
you, 

Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up 
from the dead, and gave Him glory ; that your faith and 
hope might be in God. 

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the 
truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the 
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart 
fervently : 

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of in- 
corruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abid- 
eth for ever. 

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as 
the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the 
flower thereof falleth away : 

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And 
this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto 
)^ou. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. loi 

LUKE XII. 35-47. 

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burn- 
ing; 

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their 
lord, when he will return from the wedding ; that, when 
he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him im- 
mediately. 

Blessed are those servants whom the lord when he 
cometh shall find watching : verily I say unto you, that 
he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to 
meat, and will come forth and serve them. 

And if he shall come in the second watch, or come 
in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those 
servants. 

And this know, that if the good man of the house had 
know^n what hour the thief would come, he would have 
watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken 
through. 

Be ye therefore ready also : for the Son of man com- 
eth at an hour when ye think not. 

Then Peter said unto Him, Lord, speakest Thou this 
parable unto us, or even to all ? 

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise 
steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his house- 
hold, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 

Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he com- 
eth shall find so doing. 

Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler 
over all that he hath. 

But and if that servant say in his heart. My lord de- 
layeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the men- 
servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be 
drunken ; 



102 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 



The lord of that servant will come in a day when he ) 

looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not 
aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him 
his portion wnth the unbelievers. 

And that servant which knew his lord's will and pre- 
pared not himself, neither did according to his will, 
shall be beaten with many stripes. 

I THESSALONIANS V. I-II. 

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have 
no need that I write unto you. 

For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the 
Lord so Cometh as a thief in the night. 

For when they shall say. Peace and safety ; then sud- 
den destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a 
woman with child ; and they shall not escape. 

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day 
should overtake you as a thief. 

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of 
the day : we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us 
watch and be sober. 

For they that sleep, sleep in the night ; and they that 
be drunken, are drunken in the night. 

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on 
the breast-plate of faith and love; and for an helmet, 
the hope of salvation. 

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to ob- 
tain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we 
should live together with Him. 

Wherefore, comfort yourselves together, and edify 
one another, even as also ye do. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 103 



FOR THE FUNERAL OF A CHILD. 

2 SAMUEL XII. 15-21. 

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord 
struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and 
it was very sick. 

David therefore besought God for the child; and 
David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the 
earth. 

And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, 
to raise him up from the earth : but he would not, 
neither did he eat bread with them. 

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the 
child died. And the servants of David feared to tell 
him that the child was dead : for they said. Behold, 
while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and 
he would not hearken unto our voice : how will he then 
vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead ? 

But when David saw that his servants whispered, 
David perceived that the child was dead : therefore 
David said unto his servants. Is the child dead? and 
they said, He is dead. 

Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and 
anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came 
into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he 
came to his own house; and when he required, they 
set bread before him, and he did eat. 

Then said his servants unto him. What thing is this 
that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the 
child, while it was alive ; but when the child was dead, 
thou didst rise and eat bread. 

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted 



104 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will 
be gracious to me, that the child may live ? 

But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I 
bring him back again ? I shall go to him, but he shall 
not return to me. 

MARK V. 35-42. 

While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the 
synagogue's house certain which said. Thy daughter is 
dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, 
He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue. Be not afraid, 
only believe. 

And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, 
and James, and John the brother of James. 

And He cometh to the house of the ruler of the syna- 
gogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and 
wailed greatly. 

And when He was come in, He saith unto them. Why 
make ye this ado, and weep ? the damsel is not dead, 
but sleepeth. 

And they laughed Him to scorn. But when He had 
put them all out. He taketh the father and the mother 
of the damsel, and them that were with Him, and enter- 
eth in where the damsel was lying. 

And He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto 
her, Talitha cumi : which is, being interpreted, Damsel, 
(I say unto thee) arise. 

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for 
she was of the age of twelve years. And they were as- 
tonished with a great astonishment. 

And He charged them straitly that no man should 
know it; and commanded that something should be 
given her to eat. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 105 



MATTHEW XIX. I3-16. 

And they brought young children to Him, that He 
should touch them; and His disciples rebuked those 
that brought them. 

But when Jesus saw it He was much displeased, and 
said unto them. Suffer the lieele children to come unto 
me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom 
of God. 

Verily I say unto you. Whosoever shall not receive 
the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter 
therein. 

And He took them up in His arms, put His hands 
upon them, and blessed them. 

MATTHEW XVIII. 1-6; IO-I4. 

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, say- 
ing, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? 

And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him 
in the midst of them, 

And said, Verily I say unto you. Except ye be con- 
verted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter 
into the kingdom of heaven. 

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this lit- 
tle child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my 
name, receiveth me. 

But, whoso shall offend one of these little ones which 
believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone 
were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned 
in the depth of the sea. 

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little 
ones : for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels 



lo6 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

do always behold the face of my father which is in 
heaven. 

For the Son of man is come to save that which was 
lost. 

How think ye ? If a man have an hundred sheep, 
and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the 
ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and 
seeketh that which is gone astray ? 

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he 
rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine 
which went not astray. 

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in 
heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 

After the Scripture shall have been read, the Minister shall 
say: 

Let us pray. 

Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those 
who depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls 
of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden 
of the flesh, are in joy and felicity, we give Thee hearty 
thanks for the good examples of all those Thy servants, 
who, having finished their course in faith, do now rest 
from their labors : and we beseech Thee that we, with 
all those who are departed in the true faith of Thy 
holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and 
bliss in Thy eternal and everlasting glory, in the habi- 
tations of light and gladness, in the tabernacles of shade 
and rest, in the harbor of life, where griefs, infirmities, 
groans, and miseries fly, and where the weary and tem- 
pest-tost rest together : in the life that knoweth not old 
age, the good things that pass not away, the delights that 
have no end. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 



BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 



107 



merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who is the Resurrection and the Life, in whom whoso- 
ever believeth shall live, though he die, and whosoever 
liveth and believeth in Him shall not die eternally; 
who also hath taught us, by His holy apostle, not to be 
sorry, as men without hope, for those who sleep in Him ; 
we humbly beseech Thee, O Father, to raise us from the 
death of sin unto the life of righteousness ; that, when 
we shall depart this life, we may rest in Him ; and that, 
at the general Resurrection in the last day, we may be 
found acceptable in Thy sight, and receive that blessing 
which Thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all 
who love and fear Thee, saying. Come, ye blessed chil- 
dren of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for 
you from the beginning of the world. Grant this, we 
beseech Thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, 
our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen. 

Here a hymn may be sung. 

Then the Minister, standing by the Body, shall say: 

1 would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, con- 
cerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even 
as others which have no hope. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even 
so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with 
Him. 

At the Grave, after the Body shall have been laid in the earth, 
the Minister shall say: 

I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, 
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence- 
forth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from 
their labours ; and their works do follow them. 



I08 BURIAL OF THE DEAD. 

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in His 
wise providence, to take out of the world the soul of 
our brother (or sister) departed, we therefore commit 
his body to the ground ; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, 
dust to dust; looking for the general Resurrection in 
the last day, and the life of the world to come, through 
our Lord Jesus Christ ; at whose second coming in glo- 
rious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea 
shall give up their dead ; and the corruptible bodies of 
those who sleep in Him shall be changed, and made like 
unto His own glorious body; according to the mighty 
working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto 
Himself. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of 
God, and the fellowship of the Lloly Ghost, be with us 
all evermore. Amen. 

Where, as is so often the case in large cities, the Minister does 
not accompany the body to the place of burial, this form 
of committal may conclude the service at the church or 
residence. 



FORM FOR THE ORDINATION OF RULING 

ELDERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN 

CHURCH. 



While the newly-elected Elders are coming forward, there 
may he read, or chanted by the choir, the following sen- 
tences: 

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of 
my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my 
strength and my Redeemer/' — Ps. xix. 14. 

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who 
shall stand in His holy place ? 

"He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who 
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn de- 
ceitfully/' — Ps. xxiv. 3, 4. 

Then shall the Minister say: 

Dearly Beloved, it has pleased this congregation to 
call you to the office of Ruling Elder : and in presenting 
yourself to be set apart thereto, it is fitting that the 
duties of your office should, first, be clearly set before 
you. 

In the first place, the office of Elders is, together 
with the Ministers of the Word, to take the over- 
sight of the church which is committed to them. In 
the discharge of their duties, they are to admit to its 
communion such as profess faith in Christ and repent- 
ance for their sins; to admonish those who behave 

disorderly ; to prevent, as much as possible, the Sacra- 

109 



no ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS. 

ment from being profaned; to exercise the discipline 
of the church against such as offend ; and to receive 
them again, when penitent, to the household of faith. 

Secondly. It is the duty of the Elders to pay regard 
to all Christian ordinances, and, in all things which 
relate to the welfare of the church, to assist the Minis- 
ters of the Word with good counsel, to visit the sick, 
comfort the afflicted, and to be faithful advisers of all 
the flock committed to their care. 

Thirdly. It is their duty to have regard unto the 
doctrine and life of the Ministers of the Word, that 
all things may be directed to the edification of the 
church ; and that no strange doctrine be taught ; ac- 
cording to that which we read where the Apostle ex- 
horted the Elders to watch diligently against the wolves 
who might come into the sheepfold of Christ; for the 
performance of which the Elders are in duty bound 
diligently to search the Word of God, and to meditate 
on the mysteries of the faith. 

And now, beloved brother, you shall answer to the 
following questions : 

Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New 
Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible 
rule of faith and practice ? 

Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of 
Faith of this Church, as containing the system of doc- 
trine taught in the Holy Scriptures ? 

Do you approve of the government and discipline of 
the Presbyterian Church in these United States ? 

Do you accept the office of Ruling Elder in this con- 
gregation, and promise faithfully to perform all the 
duties thereof ? 



ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS, m 

Do you promise to study the peace, unity, and purity 
of the church ? 

The Elder elect, having ansivered these questions in the af- 
firmative, the Minister shall address to the members of 
the church the following question: 

Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge 
and receive this brother as a RuHng Elder, and do' you 
promise to yield him all that honor, encouragement, and 
obedience in the Lord, to which his office, according to 
the Scriptures and the constitution of this church, 
entitles him ? 

The members of the church having answered this question in 
the affirmative by holding up their right hands, the Minis- 
ter shall proceed to set apart the candidate, by prayer, 
to the oMce of Ruling Elder: 

PRAYER. 

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, the giver of all 
good gifts, who hast ordained Rulers and Helpers by 
whom Thy Church may be preserved in peace and pros- 
perity, we beseech Thee so to replenish this thy servant 
with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit that he may walk be- 
fore this flock in all lowliness and meekness, in author- 
ity, courage, and wisdom. Fill him, we pray Thee, with 
sound discretion to administer the trust committed to 
him. Help him, O Lord, to rule with diligence, to 
confer with wisdom, to reprove with meekness, and to 
chastise with love. Make him zealous to win souls, 
abundant in godly counsel to the ignorant, and fruitful 
in heavenly consolations to the afflicted. And to this 
end we pray Thee grant him, O Lord, the inspiration 
and light of Thy Spirit, that he may thoroughly know 



112 ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS. 

Thy testimonies, and be so prepared to guard the min- 
istration of Thy word that no grievous wolves enter 
in and devour Thy flock. 

And, Father, we beseech Thee to grant Thy Divine 
grace to this people, that they may willingly submit 
themselves unto the godly admonitions of Thy servant, 
cheerfully render unto him all necessary aid, and es- 
teem him very highly in love for his work's sake. 

Here begins the formal ordination: 

And now, O Lord most holy. Thou King eternal, 
immortal, invisible ; O Christ, Head of the church which 
Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood; O Holy 
Spirit, the Comforter, dispenser of all power and wis- 
dom and inspiration, we set apart this Thy servant unto 
the office of an Elder in Thy church. Indue him, we 
humbly beseech Thee, with a double portion of Thy 
Spirit : enable him, through constant dependence upon 
Thee, to prove himself worthy of this sacred trust, and 
bountifully to enrich Thy church by his administration 
thereof : give him, in this world, knowledge of Thy 
truth, and, in the world to come, life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 

Then the congregation shall unite with the Minister in repeat- 
ing the Lord's Prayer. 

Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy 
Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, 
as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
evil ; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, forever. Amen. 



ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS, 



113 



Then shall the Minister say: 



Forasmuch as it hath pleased this congregation to 
choose A. B. unto the office of RuHng Elder, and he has, 
in the presence of the congregation, assumed the vows 
appertaining to that office, and has been duly set apart 
thereto by prayer, I declare him duly constituted a Rul- 
ing Elder of this church. 

''Take heed unto yourself, and to all the flock over 
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseer, to 
feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with 
His own blood/^ 

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love 
of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord : and 
the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost, be upon you and remain with you 
always. Amen. 



COLLECTS. 



FORGIVENESS, CLEANSING AND DELIVERANCE FROM SIN. 

O God, who desirest not the death of a sinner, but 
rather that he should turn and live ; look with pity upon 
the weakness of our mortal nature, and grant that we, 
who confess that we are but ashes, and that for our 
wickedness we most justly return to the dust, may ob- 
tain of. Thee forgiveness of all our sins, and the 
blessings promised to the penitent, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. — (Mo^.) 

• O only begotten Son of the Father, who, to save the 
world, didst deign to take upon Thee our nature, and 
so humbling Thyself didst open up again to fallen man 
the way to Paradise; do away, we pray Thee, our 
iniquities, so that, cleansed from our sins, we may be 
inheritors with Thy saints of Thy heavenly kingdom; 
through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and 
dost live, and govern all things, world without end. 
Amen. — (M02.) 

O God, good and gracious, and of great mercy unto 
all that call upon Thee; let our cry, we beseech Thee, 
enter into Thine ears, and of Thy tender mercy do 
away our offences, that we, who are bowed down with 
our sins, may serve Thee faithfully here, and stand in 
Thy presence in glory hereafter ; through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. — (Mos.) 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst die for the sins of 
the whole world, and, as at this time, didst rise from 

IM 



COLLECTS. 115 

the dead, by Thy resurrection mortify and kill all vices 
in us ; and as, by Thy cross and passion, Thou didst 
destroy the power of death, make us to share in the 
blessed life; through Thy merits, O blessed Saviour, 
who dost live, and govern all things, world without 
end. Amen. {Moz.) 

O Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord of Hosts, the 
King of Glory, cleanse our hearts from sin, keep our 
hands pure, and turn away our minds from vanity, so 
that, at the last, we may stand in Thy Holy Place, and 
receive blessings from Thee, whom, with the Father 
and the Holy Ghost, we worship and glorify, as one 
God, world without end. Amen. — {Moz,) 

O Lord Almighty, the only-begotten Son of the 
Father, loose us from the bonds of our sins, and fill us 
with all spiritual gifts, that so. Thy grace preventing 
and following us, wx may be Thy faithful servants here, 
and be numbered with Thy saints in glory hereafter ; 
through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and 
dost live, and govern all things, world without end. 
Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord Jesus Christ, be merciful unto us for Thy 
Name's sake. Wherein we have wandered from Thee, 
bring us back, wash away the sins that we have com- 
miitted, and set us, whom Thou hast redeemed, at Thy 
right hand, when Thou comest to be our Judge; 
through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and 
dost live, and govern all things, world without end. 
Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlast- 
ing God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning 
of this day ; defend us in the same with Thy mighty 
power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, 
neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our 



Il6 COLLECTS, 

doings, being ordered by Thy governance, may be 
righteous in Thy sight ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen.— (C. P.) 

O God, who for our redemption didst give Thine 
only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by His 
glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power 
of our enemy, grant us so to die daily from sin, that 
w^e may evermore live with Him in the joy of His 
resurrection; through the same Christ our Lord. 
Amen.— (C. P.) 

O God, merciful Father, who despisest not the sigh- 
ing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as are sor- 
rowful, mercifully assist our prayers which we make 
before Thee in all our troubles and adversities, when- 
soever they oppress us ; and graciously hear us, that 
those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or 
man worketh against us, may, by Thy good providence, 
be brought to nought ; that we Thy servants, being hurt 
by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto 
Thee in Thy holy church; through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen.— (C. F.) 

SPIRITUAL sustenance. 

O Christ, the Son of God, who, for our sakes, didst 
fast forty days, and didst suffer thyself to be tempted, 
grant that we may not be led astray through any temp- 
tations ; and, since man doth not live by bread alone, 
nourish our souls with heavenly food ; through thy 
mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and dost live, and 
govern all things, world without end. Amen. — {Moz.) 

O God, with whom is the well of life, and in whose 
light we shall see light, give unto us, when we thirst, 
living water, and enlighten our darkened minds with 



COLLECTS. 117 

heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen. — {Mo::.) 

HELP IN SPIRITUAL DANGER. 

Remember, O Lord, we pray Thee, that we are but 
dust, and behold the contrition of our hearts, and grant 
that we, who through the weakness of the flesh cannot 
but fall, may by Thy mighty power be lifted up; 
through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen. — 
{Moz.) 

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of 
ourselves to help ourselves, keep us both outwardly in 
our bodies, and inwardly in our souls ; that we may be 
defended from all adversities which may happen to 
the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault 
and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen.— (C. P.) 

SPIRITUAL WISDOM. 

O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons, but 
one God; enlighten, we pray Thee, our hearts and 
minds, that we, steadfast in the true faith, and ever 
shining in good works, may attain at last to the life 
everlasting; through Thy mercy, O our God, who art 
blessed, and dost live, and govern all things, world 
without end. Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord, our Light and our Salvation, remove from 
us the darkness of sorrow and of ignorance, enlighten 
us with true wisdom, and give us ever a sure hope in 
Thee, whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, we 
worship and glorify, ever one God, world without end. 
Amen. — {Moz.) 

O God, the Father almighty, grant us to have in 



Il8 COLLECTS. 

Thee the light of knowledge, and the fulness of all 
virtue, that, while we seek for the gifts of learning, 
we may never depart from Thee, who art the Fountain 
of all wisdom; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our 
Lord. Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who art the Redeemer of all 
those who put their trust in Thee, loose Thy people, 
we pray thee, from the bonds of their sins, fill their 
hearts and minds with true wisdom, and let Thy peace 
and hea.venly benediction ever be with them, through 
Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and dost live, 
and govern all things, world without end. Amen. 
— {Moz,) ! 

GRACE TO SERVE GOD GLADLY. 

O Jesus, our Saviour and our Lord, who, by the 
proclamation of Thy grace, didst take from our necks 
the yoke of the law, and remove the burden from our 
shoulders to Thine own, grant to the prayers of Thy 
Church, that it may joyfully serve Thee here, and be- 
hold Thy blissful presence with fulness of joy here- 
after; through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, 
and dost live, and govern all things, world without end. 
Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, renew in 
us, we humbly pray Thee, the gifts of Thy mercy, in- 
crease our faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our un- 
derstanding, enlarge our charity, and make us ever 
ready to serve Thee, both in body and soul; through 
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen. — {Moz.) 

GRACE TO SERVE GOD FAITHFULLY. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, very God and very man, who 
changest not, but art holy in all Thy works ; take away 



COLLECTS. 119 

from us, we humbly beseech Thee, all unbelief, and fill 
us with the gifts of Thy grace ; through Thy mercy, O 
cur God, who art blessed, and dost live, and govern all 
things, world without end. Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord Jesus Christ, make us to live soberly, righte- 
ously and godly in this present world, looking for the 
blessed hope and Thy glorious appearing, so that, 
running in the way of Thy commandments, we may 
attain Thy heavenly promises ; through Thy mercy, O 
our God, who art blessed, and dost live, and govern all 
things, world without end. Amen. — {Moz.) 

TRUE REPENTANCE. 

O God, our Heavenly Father, who didst send Thy 
messengers to tell of the birth of Thy Son, that men 
might believe on Him, grant that, hearing Thee, we 
may repent of our sins, and seek our heavenly inherit- 
ance, so that we who profess Christ, may not for our 
works be condemned before the glory of Thy majesty: 
Grant this, we humbly beseech Thee, for the sake of 
the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — - 
{Moz.) 

PEACE. 

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good coun- 
sels, and all just works do proceed, give unto Thy 
servants that peace which the world cannot give, that 
our hearts may be set to obey Thy commandments, 
and also that by Thee, we, being defended from the 
fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and 
quietness, through the merits of Jesus Christ our 
Saviour. Amen. — {C. P.) 

O God, who hast granted peacr to the angels by a 



I20 COLLECTS. 

perpetual decree, and hast made a way for men also 
to share in it, grant unto us, Thy servants, that we may 
pass our time here in the desire of peace, and may have 
our portion forever in the kingdom of peace, through 
Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Lord Jesus Christ, the Rest of the angels and of 
all the saints, grant unto Thy people to find in Thee 
deliverance from all sin, and rest from every burden, 
so that, joining with angels and archangels in bless- 
ing Thee, they may in all and through all things be 
blessed by Thee, through Thy mercy, O our God, who 
art blessed, and dost live, and govern all things, world 
without end. Amen.- — {Moz.) 

O Christ our Lord, at whose coming peace returned 
to earth, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to keep ever 
in Thy peace those whom Thou didst reconcile unto 
Thee by Thy first coming, until, at Thy coming again 
in glorious majesty. Thou makest them to inherit eter- 
nal peace; through thy mercy, O our God, who art 
blessed, and dost live, and govern all things, world 
without end. Amen. — {Moz.) 

GENERAL THANKSGIVING. 

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we Thine 
unworthy servants do give Thee most humble and 
hearty thanks for all Thy goodness and loving-kind- 
ness to us and to all men. We bless Thee for our 
creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, 
but above all, for Thine inestimable love in the redemp- 
tion of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the 
means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we 



COLLECTS. 121 

beseech Thee, give us that due sense of all Thy mer- 
cies, that our hearts may be unf eignedly thankful ; and 
that we show forth Thy praise, not only with our lips, 
but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to Thy ser- 
vice, and by w^alking before Thee in holiness and right- 
eousness all our days ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, 
to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour 
and glory, world without end. Amen. — (C P.) 

HOLY LIFE. 

Almighty God, who through Thine only-begotten 
Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened 
unto us the gate of everlasting life, we humbly be- 
seech Thee that, as by Thy special grace preventing 
us. Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by 
Thy continual help we may bring the same to good 
effect ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and 
reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, 
world without end. Amen. — (C P.) 

O God, the protector of all that trust in Thee, with- 
out whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase 
and multiply upon us Thy mercy, that. Thou being 
our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things 
temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. 
Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ^s sake 
our Lord. Amen. — (C. P.) 

Lord of all power and might, who art the author 
and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the 
love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nour- 
ish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep 
us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
-{C.P.) 



122 COLLECTS, 

O Lord, the King of glory, who, when Thou hadst 
fulfilled all that the Prophets had spoken of Thee, 
didst, through the eternal doors, ascend to Thy Fa- 
ther's throne and open the kingdom of Heaven to all 
believers ; grant that whilst Thou dost reign in heaven, 
we may not be bowed down to the things of earth, but 
that our hearts may there be lifted up whither our re- 
demption is gone before; through Thy mercy, O our 
God, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest 
and reignest ever, one God, world without end. 
Amen. — {Moz.) 

O Christ, the Power of God and the Wisdom of 
God, defend us, we pray Thee, by Thy grace, that we 
may never stand in the way of sinners, but by Thine 
aid may ever run, with a free heart, in the way of Thy 
commandments ; through Thy mercy, O our God, who 
art blessed, and dost live, and govern all things, world 
without end. Amen. — (Ifo^.) 

O God, the author and giver of true blessedness, 
guide us into the path of the undefiled; that seeking 
the testimonies of Thy law with pious hearts, we may 
continually love what Thou commandest, and desire 
that whereunto they lead; through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. — {Gelas.) 

UNITY OF SPIRIT. 

O Almighty God, who hast built Thy Church upon 
the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus 
Christ himself being the head cornerstone, grant us 
to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, 
that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto 



COLLECTS. 



123 



Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — • 
{C.P.) 

O God, the author of peace, grant, we beseech Thee, 
that Thy faithful people may be so held in the bonds 
of charity, that the peaceful may remain in peace, and 
that those who differ may be reconciled by Thy mercy ; 
through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen. 
—{Moz.) 

AT THE OPENING OF SERVICE. 

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who 
knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignor- 
ance in asking, we beseech Thee to have compassion 
upon our infirmities; and those things which for our 
unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we 
cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of 
Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — (C. P.) 

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with Thy 
most gracious favor, and further us with Thy continual 
help; that in all our works begun, continued, and 
ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy Name, and 
finally, by Thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — (C. P.) 

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all 
desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, 
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of 
Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, an3 
worthily magnify Thy holy Name, through Christ our 
Lord. Amen. — (C. P.) 

Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more 



124 COLLECTS. 

ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give 
more than either we desire or deserve, pour down upon 
us the abundance of Thy mercy; forgiving us those 
things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving 
us those good things which we are not worthy to. ask, 
but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, 
Thy Son, our Lord. Amen. — (C. P.) 

Lord our God, save Thy people, and bless Thine in- 
heritance ; guard the fulness of Thy church ; hallow 
them that love the beauty of Thine house. Glorify 
them in recompence with Thy divine power; and for- 
sake not them that put their trust in Thee. Amen. 
— {St. Chr.) 

O Lord and lover of men, cause the pure light of 
Thy divine knowledge to shine forth in our hearts, and 
open the eyes of our understanding, that we may com- 
prehend the precepts of Thy gospel. Plant in us also 
the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that we, tramp- 
ling upon all carnal lusts, may seek a heavenly citizen- 
ship, both saying and doing always such things as 
shall well please Thee. Amen. — {St. Chr.) 

Show the light of Thy countenance upon us, O Lord, 
that the going forth of Thy word may give light and 
understanding, to nourish the hearts of the simple ; 
and that while our desire is set on Thy command- 
ments, we may receive with open heart the spirit of 
wisdom and understanding. Amen. — {Moz.) 

AT THE CLOSE OF SERVICE. 

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time 
with one accord to make our common supplications 



COLLECTS. 125 

unto Thee; and dost promise that when two or three 
are gathered together in Thy Name Thou wilt grant 
their requests ; fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and peti- 
tions of Thy servants, as may be most expedient for 
them; granting us in this world knowledge of Thy 
truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. 
Amen. — {St. Chr.) 

Lighten our darkness, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and 
by Thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dan- 
gers of this night; for the love of Thy only Son, our 
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. — (C P.) 

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the 
words which we have heard this day with our outward 
ears, may, through Thy grace, be so grafted inwardly 
in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruits 
of good living, to the honour and praise of Thy Name, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — (C P.) 

O Lord God, the Life of mortals, the Light of the 
faithful, the Strength of those who labour, and the Re- 
pose of the dead, grant us a tranquil night free from 
all disturbance; that after an interval of quiet sleep, 
we may, by Thy bounty, at the return of light, be en- 
dued with activity from the Holy Spirit, and enabled 
in security to render thanks to Thee. Amen. — {Moz.) 

C. P. — Book of Common Prayer. 
M02. — Mozarahic Liturgy. 
St. Chr. — Liturgy of St. Chrysostom. 
Gelas. — Gelasian Sacramentary. 



I 



2/ g. 7 7Xj- 



^P" 



~<c 



